Department for Transport

Large Goods Vehicle Drivers: Coronavirus

Alexander Stafford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) HGV and (b) logistics firms are providing drivers with (i) personal protective equipment and (ii) access to toilet and hygiene facilities.

Rachel Maclean: i) The Government has set out its clear, evidence based, strategy providing guidance on the sectors which have a clinical need for PPE. We have encouraged transport operators to check the guidance and make any changes in a way that works for their business, employees and customers, and asked that changes made be considered in consultation with their employees. ii) Officials in my department have been working closely with the freight associations and Motorway Service Areas (MSAs), to ensure that they continue to provide suitable toilets and shower facilities to drivers. We have also been working with large Regional Distribution Centres (RDCs), who have implemented hygiene procedures and social distancing in line with the Road Haulage Association (RHA) and government guidelines. Where access to toilet or handwashing facilities is denied, and proper social distancing measures are not in place, this can be reported to RHA, who are collecting information on this issue.

Shipping: Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether UK domiciled seafarers will be eligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

Kelly Tolhurst: UK domiciled seafarers who are employed by an entity that has a UK PAYE scheme as at 19th March and a UK bank account are eligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

Motor Vehicles: Testing

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance he has published for vehicle owners whose MOT was due before 30 March 2020 and whose appointment was cancelled due to temporary garage closures during the covid-19 outbreak.

Rachel Maclean: MOT requirements have been temporarily altered due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency has published guidance relating to light vehicles which were due for an MOT before 30 March. This is available online at the following web address: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-mots-for-cars-vans-and-motorcycles-due-before-30-march-2020.

Heathrow Airport: Air Traffic

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the environmental effect of aeroplanes circling Heathrow airport while awaiting a landing slot.

Kelly Tolhurst: We recognise that aircraft maintaining a holding pattern before landing at Heathrow wastes fuel, creates delays for airlines and their customers, and can increase aviation’s environmental impact. A key objective of the UK’s plan for airspace modernisation is therefore to minimise the amount of airborne holding before landing at our major airports, which will help to reduce carbon emissions and noise impacts. It may also be of interest to my hon. Friend the Member for Fylde, that following a request for urgent action from the Secretary of State for Transport, on 27 March the UK’s Airport Slot Coordinator, Airport Coordination Limited, announced it would grant alleviation to airlines from the 80:20 slot usage rules until October 2020. This will avoid ‘ghost planes’, and protect both airlines and the environment. The letters from the Secretary of State are publicly available to my hon. Friend the Member for Fylde.

Driving Tests: Coronavirus

Dr Luke Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency can schedule driving tests for critical workers using existing appointment systems during the covid-19 outbreak.

Rachel Maclean: From 21 March 2020, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) suspended most practical driver testing for up to three months to support the Government’s efforts to limit the spread of coronavirus. As a matter of priority, the DVSA is supporting the NHS and key workers by making practical driving tests available for those whose work is critical to the COVID-19 response, or who work in critical sectors such as health and social care. Critical workers can apply for an emergency driving test by emailing: critical.worker.driving.test@dvsa.gov.uk

British Airways: Coronavirus

Mr Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of British Airways on the provision of financial support for that company during the covid-19 outbreak.

Kelly Tolhurst: The department is monitoring and in regular dialogue with aviation businesses, including British Airways, ensuring that firms which provide vital services and infrastructure still exist following the outbreak. The Chancellor has taken significant action to support businesses throughout the UK economy – including unprecedented steps to support wages and financing. These include Time to Pay, financial support for employees, and the Bank of England’s Covid Corporate Financing Facility. We do not comment on the commercial or financial matters of private firms. To protect the interests of the taxpayer, the Chancellor has been clear that bespoke Government support will only be considered as a last resort, once all other options have been fully exhausted – including raising further capital from existing investors, approaching other investors, and discussing arrangements with financial stakeholders. Any Government support will only be provided on commercial terms.

British Airways: Coronavirus

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with representatives of British Airways regarding the steps they are taking to reduce the exposure of their staff to covid-19.

Kelly Tolhurst: The Government is working round the clock to keep people safe and prevent the spread of COVID-19. Public Health England has developed specific guidance for flight crews on keeping themselves and their passengers safe, including guidance on safe principles of working and on the use of personal protective equipment. Officials are continuing to engage with the aviation sector to ensure they are supported in implementing new operational practices. This includes facilitating a weekly phone call with Public Health England to enable the aviation industry to raise operational questions directly wherever necessary. Officials are in regular contact with Trade Unions and are seeking their input on best practice guidance for safe working during COVID-19. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has also introduced a requirement for aircrafts to be disinfected after every flight, this will further mitigate health risks to staff and passengers.

Transport: Coronavirus

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether a member of a household may drive another member of the same household, who is a key worker and cannot work from home, to work to prevent that household member from having to use public transport during the covid-19 outbreak.

Rachel Maclean: The Department encourages compliance with social distancing guidelines set out by Government. Where a key worker cannot work from home, a member of the same household may drive them to work. When using a private vehicle to make a journey that is essential, cars should only be shared by members of the same household. Those who normally share a car with people who are not members of their own household for a journey that is essential, e.g. getting to work, should consider alternatives such as walking, cycling and public transport where you maintain a distance of 2 metres from others.

Transport: Coronavirus

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what financial support the Government is making available to the transport sector during the covid-19 outbreak.

Kelly Tolhurst: We recognise that the Covid-19 outbreak has had unprecedented effects across the transport sector. The government has provided a comprehensive support package for businesses. This includes measures to support workers through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, and support to businesses through the Covid Corporate Financing Facility, the Coronavirus Interruption Loan Scheme and the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme. We are engaging with the transport sector on a regular basis to understand the impacts of Covid-19 on their businesses and providing guidance on how to access the government’s business support schemes. On Friday 24 April the government announced a multi-million-pound support package for essential freight services, including up to £17 million for critical routes between Northern Ireland and Great Britain, up to £10.5 million for lifeline ferry and freight services to the Isle of Wight and the Scilly Isles, and further support for critical routes between Britain and the European mainland. The Secretary of State for Transport also confirmed that the Department for Transport has been working with the Northern Ireland Executive to develop a support package which will ensure passenger flights from Belfast and Derry-Londonderry to Great Britain are maintained during this Covid-19 response period. This will ensure that routes which are vital for those who need to travel remain open. The Department is in discussions with the relevant airlines, airports and the Northern Ireland Executive to finalise this package, guaranteeing lifeline air passenger services. In addition, government has provided funding totalling £167 million over 3 months to support bus services in England, to keep key routes running and to provide a lifeline for those who cannot work from home.

Airlines: Coronavirus

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that airlines do not pressurise their furloughed employees to work during the period in which they are furloughed.

Kelly Tolhurst: The Government recognises the challenging times facing the aviation sector as a result of COVID-19. The aviation sector is important to the UK economy and will be able to draw upon the unprecedented package of measures announced by the Chancellor, including a Bank of England scheme for firms to raise capital, Time to Pay flexibilities with tax bills, financial support for employees and VAT deferrals.  The measures have been designed to ensure that companies of any size receive the help they need to get through this difficult time – airports, airlines and the wider supply chain. The Government’s guidance on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, published at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme, is clear that employees placed on furlough cannot undertake paid work for their employer. We recognise the need to ensure that the scheme is sufficiently flexible to take account of the specific requirements of the civil aviation sector, including for example the ability to maintain a skeleton staff to continue critical operations, and to permit mandatory training and certification requirements. We believe that the guidance does provide this flexibility, for instance by not requiring a company’s entire workforce to be furloughed, by permitting employees to be furloughed multiple times - subject to a minimum furlough period of three consecutive weeks - and by making specific provision for training to be undertaken during furlough.

Airlines: Coronavirus

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that airlines are taking into account social distancing measures and safeguarding the health of cabin crew and staff during the covid-19 outbreak.

Kelly Tolhurst: The Government has provided clear instructions to the public and to businesses on the steps they need to take to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including guidance on social distancing.Officials are continuing to engage with the aviation sector to ensure they are supported in implementing new operational practices.

Large Goods Vehicle Drivers: Coronavirus

Nick Fletcher: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of suspending medical examinations for people who need to renew their HGV licenses during the covid-19 outbreak.

Rachel Maclean: To keep bus and lorry drivers on the road, the Government has made temporary provisions to remove the requirement to submit a medical report when applying to renew a bus or lorry driving licence, until further notice. Provided they have no notifiable medical conditions, drivers will be issued a licence that is valid for one year instead of the usual five. This only applies if the licence expired after 1 January 2020 or is due to expire. As is always the case, drivers must ensure they are medically fit to drive and they are legally obliged to notify the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency about the onset or worsening of any medical condition.

Ferries: Coronavirus

Mr Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his policy is on support for private ferry companies affected by the economic effect of the covid-19 outbreak.

Kelly Tolhurst: The Coronavirus outbreak is among the biggest challenges our transport industry has ever confronted, and I am grateful for the sustained efforts by ferry operators in running crucial services to support the continued flow of freight. The Government announced an unprecedent package of financial measures worth £350 billion to support companies through these challenging times and a full range of support schemes have been made available to UK businesses. My department is working closely with maritime operators to consider how these apply to them. In addition, on 24 April we announced a package of funding to support lifeline services and critical freight routes. This includes up to £10.5m for lifeline services to the Isles of Scilly and the Isle of Wight, up to £17m for critical freight routes between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and support for up to 26 critical freight routes between Great Britain and mainland Europe. We will continue to work closely with industry to monitor the implementation of these measures to continue these vital services.

Aviation: Iran

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government plans to stop flights to and from Iran due to the covid-19 outbreak in that country.

Kelly Tolhurst: In responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government is working to a scientifically-led, step-by-step action plan, focusing on taking the right measures at the right time. Whilst there is community transmission within the UK, the role played by imported cases is less significant and so our focus in the current delay phase has not been on screening measures at the border. Additionally, it is vital that flights are still able to land in the UK in order to allow Britons who have been stranded abroad as a result of the pandemic to return home, and to allow key supplies to continue moving into and around the UK. Airlines and airports have already implemented additional measures in response to COVID-19 in line with advice from PHE, SAGE and the Chief Medical Officer. Airports are displaying posters and digital signage relaying Government information about COVID-19. Passengers arriving into UK airports are being given a leaflet with information about the measures in place in the UK, and announcements are made on aircraft an hour before landing. Government will keep this process under review as the pandemic develops. This may mean that measures and procedures change as we control the spread of, and understand more about, the virus. Any changes to our approach will be led by advice from SAGE and the Chief Medical Officer. Protecting the health of the UK public will always come first.

Large Goods Vehicle Drivers: Coronavirus

Stephen Kinnock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has plans to suspend the requirement for HGV drivers to udnertake a medical in order to renew their license during the covid-19 outbreak.

Rachel Maclean: To keep bus and lorry drivers on the road and vital supply chains moving during the coronavirus pandemic, the Government has made temporary provisions to remove the requirement to submit a medical report when applying to renew a lorry or bus licence until further notice. Provided they have no notifiable medical conditions, drivers will be issued a licence that is valid for one year instead of the usual five. This only applies if the licence expired after 1 January 2020 or is due to expire.As is always the case, drivers must ensure they are medically fit to drive and they are legally obliged to notify the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency about any onset or worsening of medical conditions.

Aviation: Coronavirus

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that private plane operators complete due diligence checks to ensure their passengers comply with the Coronavirus Act 2020.

Kelly Tolhurst: The safety of staff and passengers is a priority, and measures are already in place to protect people’s health and safety when travelling by air. All airports are encouraged to follow Public Health England guidance on preventing the spread of COVID-19. PHE has also provided specific guidance on health and safety for flight crews. The advice for travellers is the same as for the rest of the UK population. The Government’s “stay at home” posters are on display at all UK airports and many airports have the messaging on digital screens as well. Airports and airlines have also been provided with PHE leaflets to give to passengers outlining the symptoms of COVID-19, current guidance, and general public health advice.

Airports and Ports: Coronavirus

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to (a) temperature test people (i) arriving at and (ii) departing from airports and ports for covid-19 and (b) introduce quarantine arrangements for people arriving at those airports and ports whose temperature indicates that they may have that infection; and if will he make a statement.

Kelly Tolhurst: Airports are following Public Health England’s (PHE) guidance on preventing the spread of COVID-19, as well as following their existing internal protocols on preventing the spread of infectious diseases. The UK Government is not mandating arriving and exit health screening currently. This is under constant review and if there is a change in policy, all ports and airports will be notified accordingly. The advice for travellers is the same as for the rest of the population: they are advised to reduce their social contacts by staying at home and following the same social distancing measures as the rest of the country. If they begin to show symptoms, they should self-isolate. All airports are required to identify specific isolation areas to be used in case a passenger becomes ill until the local health response arrives.

Travel: Coronavirus

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the covid-19 outbreak, whether the Government has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a specific support package to (a) protect jobs in and (b) support the travel industry.

Kelly Tolhurst: The Chancellor has set out unprecedented support for workers - including those in the travel sector - to protect them against the current economic emergency. This includes the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme. These measures, and others available through the Government’s comprehensive support package, have been designed to ensure that companies of any size receive the help they need to get through this difficult time. Government is committed to helping the travel industry through this crisis and beyond.

Travel: Coronavirus

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an estimate of the number of jobs at risk from the potential collapse of the UK travel industry as a result of the cessation of international travel in response to the covid-19 pandemic.

Kelly Tolhurst: No estimate has yet been made on the number of jobs at risk in the travel industry as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. We are aware that the coronavirus outbreak and related travel advice is significantly impacting all aspects of the travel industry. We are in close contact with stakeholders to monitor the situation. Our national priority is containing the spread of the virus. As soon as it is safe to do so, we will be encouraging people to book holidays and support travel companies once again. The Chancellor has set out unprecedented support for business and workers - including those in the travel sector - to protect them against the current economic emergency.

Motor Vehicles: Testing

John Lamont: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimates his Department has made of how many drivers in (a) the Scottish Borders, (b) Scotland, and (c) the UK will benefit from the MOT extension due to the covid-19 outbreak.

Rachel Maclean: The MOT data held by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency relates to vehicles, not to the number of drivers who use those vehicles. This data is not disaggregated based on country or region but represents the GB vehicle fleet as a whole. In April 2020 there are 2,950,295 vehicles due for either a repeat MOT or due for first MOT. In May 2020 there are 3,002,339 vehicles due for repeat or first MOT. In June 2020 there are 2,979,869 vehicles due for repeat or first MOT. Based on the duration of social distancing measures determined by the Government, the number of vehicles able to benefit from the exclusion to MOT testing will vary. If the legislation allowing the exclusions is no longer required, it may be revoked.

Large Goods Vehicles: Coronavirus

John Lamont: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to support hauliers to maintain supply and distribution networks during the covid-19 outbreak.

Rachel Maclean: The Government has made available £330bn of support through loans and guarantees to support UK businesses. Changes were made on 3 April to ensure that more businesses, particularly those that are SMEs, like many road haulage companies, can benefit from them. Additionally, the job retention scheme which has now been launched will help further by enabling businesses to claim up to £2,500 a month towards staff wages. The Government is working with the road haulage industry to identify barriers to accessing the available government support measures.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Housing: Energy

Sir David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 23 March 2020 to Question No 28671 on Housing: Energy, if he will publish those impact assessments in which the benefits to householders’ health from improving their homes thermal performance have been included.

Kwasi Kwarteng: The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy does include the health benefits of energy improvements to the householders’ health in published Impact Assessments, although the methodology has not yet been incorporated into the net present value calculation. Two of the latest are the most recent impact assessments for ECO and Private Sector Regulations (see below): Page 29 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/749638/ECO_3_Final_Stage_IA__Final.pdfPage 16 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/760313/IA_-_Energy_Efficiency__Private_Rented_Property___England.pdf

Housing: Energy

Sir David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 23 March 2020 to Question 28671 on Housing: Energy, who is undertaking the study to quantify the cost savings to the health service of improving the energy efficiency of homes; and when that study will be published.

Kwasi Kwarteng: The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is the lead organisation undertaking the study to quantify the cost savings to the health service of improving the energy efficiency of homes. BEIS is in the process of applying for access to NHS Digital hospital records and, if this application is approved and relevant data provided to BEIS, analysis will be undertaken, peer reviewed and published.

Shell: North Sea

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what his timetable is for deciding whether to give Shell permission for its proposed plans for the (a) steel jackets and (b) concrete bases underneath decommissioned Brent oilfield platforms (i) Bravo, (ii) Charlie and (iii) Delta east of Shetland.

Kwasi Kwarteng: As part of the Brent decommissioning proposal, Shell propose to leave in-situ the footings of the Brent Alpha steel jacket and the concrete gravity based installations Brent Bravo, Brent Charlie and Brent Delta.A formal decision is expected to be made in due course.Any approval of the derogation permit to leave in-situ the footings of the Brent Alpha steel jacket and the concrete gravity based installations Brent Bravo, Brent Charlie and Brent Delta will include permit conditions to continue to develop technology for the management of the structures (including in-situ remediation for the contents of the structures). Shell and the Brent field licensees will remain responsible and liable in perpetuity for any structures left in-situ.

Shell: North Sea

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what Environmental Impact Assessment his Department has made of Shell's proposed plans for the (a) steel jackets and (b) concrete bases underneath decommissioned Brent oilfield platforms (i) Bravo, (ii) Charlie and (iii) Delta east of Shetland.

Kwasi Kwarteng: BEIS officials at the Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning (OPRED) who are responsible for ensuring that all decommissioning in the UK Continental Shelf is carried out in line with current UK regulations and international obligations have considered the Brent decommissioning proposals and reviewed the associated environmental impact assessment including supporting technical documents. The review also took account of the technical, safety, societal and economic aspects and determined that the environmental impact assessment presented by Shell demonstrates that the decommissioning proposals would not have a significant adverse effect on human health, the environment or other users of the sea, and that leaving the footings of the Brent Alpha steel jacket and the concrete gravity based installations Brent Bravo, Brent Charlie and Brent Delta including the cell contents in-situ is the best management solution.

Shell: North Sea

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent discussions he has had with his European counterparts on Shell's proposed plans for the (a) steel jackets and (b) concrete bases underneath decommissioned Brent oilfield platforms (i) Bravo, (ii) Charlie and (iii) Delta east of Shetland.

Kwasi Kwarteng: Officials from Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning (OPRED) have met with the OSPAR Contracting Parties to discuss issues around the Brent decommissioning derogation application over the last 6 months.

Shell: North Sea

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what (a) estimate and (b) assessment his department has made of the (i) amount and (ii) composition of materials in the (A) steel jackets and (B) concrete bases underneath decommissioned Brent oilfield platforms (1) Bravo, (2) Charlie and (3) Delta east of Shetland.

Kwasi Kwarteng: The Brent decommissioning proposal conservatively estimates that the cells contained within the concrete gravity based installation contain approximately 640,000 cubic metres (m3) of hydrocarbon contaminated seawater and 40,000 m3 of hydrocarbon contaminated sediments with a total estimated hydrocarbon load of approximately 16,000 tonnes. BEIS officials have reviewed the associated environmental impact assessment including supporting technical documents and have determined that the environmental impact assessment presented by Shell demonstrates that the decommissioning proposals would not have a significant adverse effect on human health, the environment or other users of the sea, and that leaving the cell contents in-situ is the best management solution. The Brent Alpha steel jacket has no materials remaining within it. Any approval of the derogation permit to leave in-situ the footings of the Brent Alpha steel jacket and the concrete gravity based installations Brent Bravo, Brent Charlie and Brent Delta will include permit conditions to continue to develop technology for the management of the structures (including in-situ remediation for the contents of the structures). Shell and the Brent field licensees will remain responsible and liable in perpetuity for any structures left in-situ. In addition, drill cuttings piles are present on the seabed at all of the Brent installations and on top of cells of the concrete gravity based installations and BEIS officials have determined that the best management option is to leave the cuttings piles to degrade in-situ.

Offshore Fixed Structures: Decommissioning

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department made of the adequacy of funding for decommissioning of redundant offshore oil drilling platform bases in line with the Energy Act 2008.

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department has taken to help ensure there are adequate funding arrangements for the decommissioning of redundant offshore oil drilling platform bases constructed before the introduction of the Energy Act 2008.

Kwasi Kwarteng: BEIS officials in the Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning (OPRED) continually consider the adequacy of companies to fund decommissioning and where any risk is identified my officials undertake work to mitigate these risks and where necessary have taken security in the form of letters of credit and entered into Decommissioning security agreements with companies.Liability for decommissioning is joint and several and all companies who have had a beneficial interest in a licence both past and present are liable.BEIS officials in OPRED also have a detailed understanding of the Decommissioning security that is in place in the form of commercial Decommissioning security agreements for all fields in the UKCS.

Delivery Services: Coronavirus

Alexander Stafford: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to ensure compliance with the guidance published by the Government and Public Health England on social distancing and safe hygiene practices at warehouses and fulfilment sites for online retailers.

Paul Scully: Everyone must comply with the rules issued by the Government in relation to coronavirus, in order to protect both themselves and others. We have published guidance for employers and businesses to assist them in the safe operation of their business:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/guidance-for-employers-and-businesses-on-coronavirus-covid-19 Where the Health and Safety Executive are made aware of an employer not complying with the relevant Public Health England guidance (including enabling social distancing where it is practical to do so), HSE will consider a range of action, from providing specific advice to employers through to issuing enforcement notices.

Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he plans to take to extend the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme to businesses that have no rateable property but have been adversely affected by the covid-19 outbreak.

Paul Scully: Whether or not a business is liable for Business Rates, or occupies business premises, is not a consideration under the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS).To be eligible for a facility under CBILS, a smaller business must:Be UK based in its business activity, with turnover of no more than £45m per year.Have a borrowing proposal which, were it not for the current pandemic, would be considered viable by the lenderSelf-certify that it has been adversely impacted by the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Electricity and Natural Gas: Coronavirus

Angela Crawley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to safeguard supplies of (a) gas and (b) electricity during the covid-19 outbreak.

Kwasi Kwarteng: Great Britain has a reliable energy system and maintaining a safe and secure energy supply is a key priority for this Government.Since the start of the Covid-19 outbreak, we have been in daily contact with gas and electricity operators, the National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO), National Grid Gas (NGG), and Ofgem, to ensure our electricity and gas supplies are secure.We have received assurance from all critical gas and electricity operators that they have contingency plans in place to mitigate the impacts of Covid-19; and we are closely monitoring staff absenteeism levels, as well as the supply of key commodities.Currently, electricity and gas margins are adequate and there is sufficient supply to meet demand. The implementation of the Government policies to delay the spread of Covid-19 is resulting in a measurable reduction in the national demand for electricity and gas.We are confident that electricity and gas supplies will keep flowing.

Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make it his policy to amend the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme to remove the requirement for the lender to ask for personal guarantees.

Paul Scully: Under the British Business Bank’s scheme rules, Personal Guarantees of any form cannot be requested to support a Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) facility below £250,000. This has been made clear in the guidance provided to all the CBILS accredited lenders. Personal guarantees for facilities above £250,000 may still be required, at a lender’s discretion, but they exclude the Principal Private Residence (PPR) which cannot be used for a Personal Guarantee. Recoveries under these loans are capped at a maximum of 20% of the outstanding balance of the CBILS facility after the proceeds of business assets have been applied. These terms were updated on 3 April 2020. The British Business Bank has communicated that the changes should be retrospectively applied by lenders for any CBILS facilities offered since 23 March 2020.

Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that banks taking part in the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme do not require a personal guarantee from business directors to secure loans of less than £250,000.

Paul Scully: Holding answer received on 27 April 2020



Under the British Business Bank’s scheme rules, Personal Guarantees of any form cannot be requested to support a Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) facility below £250,000. This has been made clear in the guidance provided to all the CBILS accredited lenders.

Home Energy and Lifestyle Management: Green Deal Scheme

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many Green Deal plans were provided by Home Energy and Lifestyle Management Ltd for the purpose of installing solar panels in each constituency in the UK.

Kwasi Kwarteng: The number of Green Deal plans provided by Home Energy & Lifestyle Management Ltd which include the installation of solar panels in each constituency in the UK are shown in the attached table. In order to manage the risk of revealing personal or commercial data, our approach is not to release non-zero counts of less than five for a small geographic area.



HELM Ltd Green Deal plans including solar panels
(Excel SpreadSheet, 17.44 KB)

Supermarkets: Coronavirus

Mr Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the accuracy of reports that supermarkets are not implementing Government policy (a) restricting shopping to essential goods and (b) on social distancing within shops during the covid-19 outbreak.

Paul Scully: Government is clear that people should only leave the house for four reasons, which includes shopping for food and other essentials if they have to. Government have not published a list of goods it deems essential nor asked supermarkets to reduce the range of products they sell. We have set out the general principles and measures for how social distancing can be implemented in the workplace, including staggering processes which would enable staff to continue to operate both effectively and where possible at a safe distance from one another. We have also set out tailored advice for different scenarios as an example of how social distancing and other measures that might be implemented by employers in England to help protect their workforce and customers from coronavirus while still continuing to trade. Everyone must comply with the rules issued by the Government in relation to coronavirus, in order to protect both themselves and others. In England, Environmental Health and Trading Standards officers will monitor compliance with these regulations with police support if appropriate.

Parental Pay

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many people started receiving (a) statutory paternity pay and (b) shared parental pay in each quarter since April 2015.

Paul Scully: Holding answer received on 27 April 2020



The Government is committed to supporting working parents. In 2015, we introduced Shared Parental Leave and Pay which gives eligible parents much more flexibility and choice in how they share care for their new child between them in the first year. The scheme is in addition to the Government’s 2-week Paternity Leave and Pay policy and gives fathers and partners access to up to 50 weeks of leave and 37 weeks of pay. Take-up of Shared Parental Leave and Pay has been broadly in line with our initial estimates, which anticipated that a cultural change like this would take time to bed-in. Table 1 below shows the number of individuals in receipt of Statutory Paternity Pay and Statutory Shared Parental Pay based on the month that the claim was first made.  Table 1: Individuals in receipt of Statutory Paternity Pay and Statutory Shared Parental Pay based on the month that the claim was first made by quarter, 2015/16 to 2019/20 Statutory Paternity Pay (month first claimed)Statutory Shared Parental Pay (month first claimed)Q1 15/1651,9001,200Q2 15/1655,0001,400Q3 15/1652,2001,500Q4 15/1654,2001,900Q1 16/1755,1002,000Q2 16/1756,2002,000Q3 16/1752,9001,700Q4 16/1754,0002,000Q1 17/1851,4002,100Q2 17/1855,5002,200Q3 17/1852,6001,900Q4 17/1851,2001,900Q1 18/1948,3002,300Q2 18/1950,3002,600Q3 18/1947,6002,200Q4 18/1954,0002,400Q1 19/2050,8002,900Q2 19/2053,1003,500Q3 19/2050,4002,400 Data collected uses HMRC Real Time Information (RTI) and was extracted in March 2020. RTI is subject to revision or updates.Figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred.For the 2015-16 tax year, those receiving Additional Statutory Paternity Pay (ASPP) for children born before 6 April 2015 cannot be distinguished from those claiming ShPP within RTI data.Data based on the month first claimed means that an individual who first claims statutory payment in a given month (i.e. had not claimed it in the previous month) and continues receiving statutory pay for multiple months would only be counted in the first month.

Natural Gas: Inspections

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he plans to require that utility companies pause non-urgent gas inspections during the covid-19 outbreak.

Kwasi Kwarteng: Under Gas Supplier Licence Condition 29 (SLC29) Gas Suppliers are required on request to carry out free annual gas safety checks to certain vulnerable domestic customers living in non-rented premises. In the current circumstances, Ofgem does not consider it is necessary for it to relax Condition 29 because gas suppliers undertake their free annual gas safety checks only on request by and with the permission of the customer. This position is held under the current circumstances of the Covid-19 pandemic provided that relevant parties follow the Government guidance, public health advice and safety legislation more generally. Ofgem’s Chief Executive Jonathan Brearley wrote to the energy supply companies on 8 April 2020 setting out the expectations of them during the COVID-19 outbreak and reminding them of their primary need to follow this guidance, public health advice and safety legislation.

Ceramics: Coronavirus

Jonathan Gullis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to support the ceramics industry during the covid-10 outbreak.

Nadhim Zahawi: The Government has taken unprecedented action to support businesses, including those within the ceramics sector, during the outbreak of COVID-19. This includes changes to Statutory Sick Pay, the opportunity to defer VAT and/or income tax for 3 months, as well as regulatory easements to help businesses manage the impact of the virus. In addition, the Job Retention Scheme offers a Government grant to enable companies to furlough their staff from 1 March 2020 and will run until the end of June 2020.. The Coronovirus Business Interruption Loan Schemes for businesses of all sizes, alongside the Covid Corporate Financing Facility, also provides businesses with the opportunity to access Government-backed financing. These measures are providing unprecedented support to businesses across the country, and the Department is in daily contact with the ceramics sector to offer further advice and support.

Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will suspend state aid rules for the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme so that loss-making companies can be considered eligible for that scheme.

Paul Scully: Although the UK has left the EU, under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement, the EU State Aid rules continue to apply in the UK until the end of the Transition Period. It is not possible for the UK (or indeed any EU Member State) to unilaterally suspend the EU State aid rules. However, it should be noted that the European Commission has introduced some flexibilities into the rules to deal with the impacts of the Coronavirus, in the form of a Temporary Framework. The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) is a State Aid approved scheme under the Temporary Framework. Companies that are in difficulty are eligible for support, in recognition of the impact of Coronavirus, unless they were in difficulty on 31 December 2019, prior to the outbreak. CBILS does include a provision enabling banks to make the facility available on a de minimis basis to businesses that would not otherwise be eligible, for example because they were in difficulty as at 31 December 2019. However, the British Business Bank is establishing a new Future Fund to support the UK’s innovative businesses currently affected by Covid-19. This will launch in May and is intended to help businesses that have been unable to access other government business support programmes, such as CBILS, because they are either pre-revenue or pre-profit and typically rely on equity investment. The £500m scheme will deliver an initial commitment of £250m of new government funding which will be match funded by private investment.

Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will ask the European Commission to exempt the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme from EU state aid rules.

Paul Scully: Although the UK has left the EU, under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement, the EU State Aid rules continue to apply in the UK until the end of the Transition Period. Although the European Commission declined to suspend the State aid rules because of the Coronavirus pandemic, the Commission introduced flexibilities into the rules to deal with the impacts of the Coronavirus, in the form of a Temporary Framework. This facilitates aid going to the companies who need it most, quickly and with more efficiently. The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme was approved by the Commission (on 25th March) under this Temporary Framework. No exemption from the State Aid rules is required. Since the launch of the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, the Government has received a lot of helpful feedback on how the scheme has been working. We have been working with the financial services sector to ensure that companies feel the full benefits from this support. The Government will continue to seek to identify new areas for improvement across the scheme as a whole.

Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure firms can access the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme.

Paul Scully: The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) opened for applications on 23 March. The Government has been working closely with the British Business Bank and financial sector to ensure businesses can access the support they need. We have made changes to widen the scheme’s eligibility so that more small businesses across the UK can benefit from the scheme, by extending loans to all viable small businesses affected by the Coronavirus, not just those unable to secure regular commercial financing. For facilities under £250,000, use of personal guarantees are not permitted under the scheme.

Travel Agents: Coronavirus

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he plans to take to support small travel agencies facing financial difficulties as a result of cancellations, refunds and loss of income during the covid-19 outbreak.

Paul Scully: The Government recognises the extremely difficult circumstances many businesses are currently facing. The Government has launched an unprecedented set of support measures. The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) offers financial support to smaller businesses that are losing revenue, and seeing their cashflow disrupted, as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. Firms with a turnover of up to £45 million can apply for a loan, invoice finance, asset finance or overdraft of up to £5 million for up to six years.

Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund

Dr Kieran Mullan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the Government plans to extend the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund to cover businesses that predominantly supply services to the retail, hospitality and leisure sector.

Paul Scully: Businesses are eligible for the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund if they are based in England with a property that has a rateable value of up to £51,000 and is wholly or mainly being used for the purposes of retail, hospitality and/or leisure. The Government is also providing an unprecedented package of wider support to businesses across the economy in response to the current coronavirus outbreak.

Hydroelectric Power: Coronavirus

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will extend the deadline in the Feed-in Tariffs (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Order 2020 for commissioning new hydropower generating stations by an additional six months to reflect the seasonal nature of their construction.

Kwasi Kwarteng: The recent Feed-in Tariffs (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Order 2020 gives developers of a range of small-scale renewable energy projects an extra six months to complete the accreditation process to benefit from the Feed-in Tariffs scheme, reducing the impact of the Coronavirus on developers and community groups that have invested in low-carbon energy, but who could have been unable complete their construction and commissioning before the final deadline. This emergency legislation was focussed on the projects most immediately affected by the Coronavirus, with deadlines between March and September 2020. The government is keeping the situation under review, including in relation to projects with deadlines beyond 30 September 2020.

Conditions of Employment: Coronavirus

Stephen Kinnock: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to provide workplace protections for workers that are required by their employer to go to work during the covid-19 outbreak while living with a vulnerable person in their household.

Paul Scully: Holding answer received on 27 April 2020



The Government has introduced important social distancing measures for all types of businesses to consider in order to minimise the risk of transmission in the workplace. The Government has been clear that it is vital that all employers follow this guidance, which is clinically led and based on expert advice.

Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme: Arts

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many businesses in the (a) creative and (b) music sectors have received support under the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans Scheme to date.

Paul Scully: As of 21 April, over £2.8bn worth of loans have been issued under the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, to over 16,600 businesses. At this time we cannot provide a breakdown of funding by sector, as we have given lenders a temporary dispensation from uploading their data to the British Business Bank’s system in order to let them focus on issuing new loans. This is a pragmatic step that reflects the urgency of getting loans issued. We are working with the British Business Bank, HM Treasury and lenders on regular and transparent data publication going forward.

Business: Loans

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure that business sectors which have been unable to access Government-backed finance in the past are able to access the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans Scheme and other Government-backed loan schemes.

Paul Scully: The Government has responded to helpful feedback to ensure that companies feel the full benefits of available support. The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) is open to eligible businesses operating in most sectors. Unlike Enterprise Finance Guarantee, road haulage, fishery, aquaculture and agriculture businesses can access facilities up to the maximum of £5m available. Fishery, aquaculture and agriculture businesses may not qualify for the full interest and lender-levied fee payment paid by government. The Government has:Extended the scheme so that all viable small businesses affected by Covid-19, and not just those unable to secure regular commercial financing, are now eligible if the lender believes they need finance to see them through these unprecedented times.Removed the requirement that the relevant applicant not be a business, employer, professional, religious or political membership organisation or a trade union in order to be eligible for CBILS.Announced the launch of the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme to support all larger viable businesses with an annual turnover of £45 million and above.

Business: Loans

Dr Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make it his policy that (a) businesses that have become profitable after recent restructuring should not be precluded from being granted emergency business loans on the basis of unprofitable trading figures prior to their restructuring and (b) those businesses should be assessed on their recent profitability on the same basis as start-up businesses of a similar size.

Paul Scully: Holding answer received on 27 April 2020



The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) provides support to small businesses which were viable before the Covid-19 outbreak but are experiencing temporary adverse impacts due to Coronavirus. In order for a business to be eligible for the CBILs, it must be considered “viable” by the lender. The lender must consider that the applicant (or its business group) has a viable business proposition determined by the lender’s underwriting policies. Any concerns over its short-to-medium term business performance due to the uncertainty and impact of COVID-19 cannot be taken into account. The applicant must still satisfy the other eligibility criteria of the CBILS. For smaller value facilities (e.g. those of £30,000 or below) in determining the eligibility of the applicant, lenders may decide to determine the applicant’s credit worthiness based on its internal credit scoring models. Corresponding changes have been made to the eligibility criterion which previously required the applicant (or its business group) to have a business proposition that can reasonably be expected to enable it to meet its repayment obligations under a proposed facility. The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme cannot be used where an applicant was an “undertaking in difficulty” (UID) as at 31 December 2019. UID is defined to include businesses that have accumulated losses greater than half of their subscribed share capital as at 31 December 2019. In practice this means certain fast growth businesses may not be eligible for the CBILS (unless the business is less than three years old). The requirement for an UID assessment is a requirement under the European Commission’s Temporary State Aid measures and a direct result of State Aid clearance. The need for UID checks to be carried out for CBILS facilities below £30k has already been removed by the British Business Bank on the basis that loans of this size are considered to involve a de minimis amount of State Aid. For facilities above £30k, lenders are required to gain comfort that an SME is not an UID, but this includes the option for lenders to rely on self-certification for facilities of any size (i.e. up to £5m).

Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions his Department has had with banks operating the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme on the interest rates for those loans.

Paul Scully: Holding answer received on 27 April 2020



Interest rates charged under the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) are set at the discretion of each lender. However, under the terms of the State Aid agreement, the Government fully expects that the benefit of the guarantee under the CBILS is reflected in the interest that is charged on the CBILS facility, both during the period of the Business Interruption Payment and thereafter for the remainder of the facility. The Government held discussions with the banking industry prior to the launch of CBILS. The Business Secretary has had calls with UK senior executives at Natwest, Barclays, Aldermore, Lloyds, HSBC and Santander and will continue to hold a regular dialogue with each of the biggest CBILS lenders to address feedback on how the scheme has been working and closely monitor its implementation to ensure that companies feel the full benefits of this support.

Service Industries and Utilities: Coronavirus

Dr Dan Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to provide support to the hospitality industry during the covid-19 outbreak.

Paul Scully: The Government has introduced a number of measures which are available to businesses in the hospitality sector to provide support during the current COVID-19 outbreak. These include the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grants and Business Rates Holiday schemes, the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, as well as the Job Retention and Self-Employed Income Support schemes. The full details on all of the measures available to these businesses have been published at: https://www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support/. The Government is also continuing to keep these measures under review.

Energy: Coronavirus

John Lamont: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment his Department has been made of the performance of the energy system in meeting changes in demand due to the covid-19 outbreak.

Kwasi Kwarteng: Great Britain has a reliable energy system and maintaining a safe and secure energy supply is a key priority for this Government. Since the start of the Covid-19 outbreak, we have been in daily contact with gas and electricity operators, the National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO), National Grid Gas (NGG), and Ofgem, to ensure our energy system is able to respond to changes in demand during this unprecedented time. The ESO and NGG have procedures in place to manage the effects of a pandemic and are closely monitoring electricity and gas demand over this period. Currently, electricity and gas margins are adequate and there is sufficient supply to meet demand. The implementation of the Government policies to delay the spread of Covid-19 is resulting in a measurable reduction in the national demand for energy. The ESO recently published its Summer Outlook report to help energy companies with their planning, as well as set out the procedures it has in place to manage the anticipated effects on supply and demand during the pandemic. We are confident that electricity and gas supplies will keep flowing.

Climate Change Convention: Glasgow

John Lamont: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans the Government has to rearrange COP 26 in Glasgow.

Kwasi Kwarteng: Dates for a rescheduled conference in 2021, hosted in Glasgow by the UK in partnership with Italy, will be set out in due course following further discussion with parties.

Carbon Emissions

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a national office for carbon removal.

Kwasi Kwarteng: There is no doubt that climate change is one of the greatest global challenges we face, and that action is urgently needed in the UK and across the world. The UK already has a world-leading framework for emissions reduction. The Climate Change Act 2008 was the first of its kind in the world and made the UK the first country to introduce a legally binding, long-term emissions reduction target. The Act introduced our innovative framework of carbon budgets to ensure continued progress towards that target, capping emissions in successive five-year blocks. It also established the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) which independently provides expert advice to the Government on climate change mitigation and adaptation. In June 2019, the UK became the first major economy to legislate for net zero - a 100% emissions reduction target by 2050 (relative to 1990 levels). The Prime Minister chairs a new Cabinet Committee on Climate Change to oversee this effort and drive forward action across the whole of government. Through this strong legal framework and ambitious policy action, we have shown that cutting emissions and growing the economy can go hand-in-hand – reducing our emissions by over 40% since 1990 while growing the economy by three quarters. Our carbon budgeting, supported by independent expertise from the CCC, is widely accepted as global best-practice and provides the right framework for the UK to deliver our commitment to net zero.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Armed Conflict: Sexual Offences

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2020 to Question 31501 on Armed Conflict: Sexual Offences, what steps his Department is taking under the prevention of sexual violence in conflict initiative in addition to the faith and belief leader's declaration of humanity to provide support for women from minority religious communities who are vulnerable to sexual violence in conflict situations.

Nigel Adams: As stated in my [Minister Adams] answer to PQ 31501, the UK is fully committed to supporting all survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, and follows a survivor-centred approach. We recognise that women from minority religious communities can often suffer in situations of conflict because of both their gender and their faith. That is why we ensure that our human rights policy work considers the intersectionality of human rights, and the importance of addressing the specific vulnerabilities experienced by women from religious minority communities. Examples of our work include strengthening access to justice for survivors through training faith and belief groups on how to document and respond to sexual violence within their communities, and providing greater support and access to holistic care for children born of conflict-related sexual violence.

Armed Conflict: Sexual Offences

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to (a) ensure progress on delivering the thematic strand of stigma contained in the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative and (b) support faith leaders and faith groups to (i) help and (ii) care for women from minority religious communities that have experienced sexual violence in conflict.

Nigel Adams: The Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) is part of the UK's Women, Peace and Security National Action Plan (NAP), which includes our strategy for tackling and preventing conflict-related sexual violence. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office will be developing an additional three-year strategy on PSVI, which remains a top priority for the British Government. Our PSVI objectives will remain to champion wider restorative justice for survivors and hold perpetrators to account; support all survivors and children born of conflict-related sexual violence, and tackle the stigma they face including those from religious minority communities; and prevent sexual violence in conflict.We are working with international faith and belief leaders to issue a 'Declaration of Humanity' which calls for the end of sexual violence in conflict and to tackle the stigma so often faced by survivors. We will also provide support to faith leaders and faith groups by training them on how to document and respond to conflict-related sexual violence, and will strengthen access to holistic care for all survivors, including for women from minority religious communities who have experienced sexual violence. We will ensure that the three-year strategy is survivor-centred, working closely with the UK's PSVI Survivor Champions throughout its development.

Religious Freedom: Females

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will publish a response to EDM 273, entitled International Women's Day and freedom of religion or belief.

Nigel Adams: As the EDM is a motion for a debate the FCO has no plans to reply in writing.

World Sikh Parliament

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions officials in his Department have had with representatives of the World Sikh Parliament.

Nigel Adams: The UK is committed to defending Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), and promoting respect between different religious and non-religious communities. Promoting the right to FoRB is one of the UK's human rights policy priorities. While the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not had any recent discussions with the World Sikh Parliament, we regularly work with international partners on FoRB, including faith groups, civil society organisations and like-minded countries.

Afghanistan: Sikhs

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Home Secretary on the provision of (a) safe passage and (b) asylum for members of the Sikh community fleeing persecution in Afghanistan.

Nigel Adams: We strongly condemn the attack on a Sikh Gurdwara in Kabul on 25 March. Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State for South Asia with responsibility for human rights and Her Majesty's Ambassador to Kabul have both condemned the attack. The UK continues to urge the Government of Afghanistan to ensure the rights of all ethnic and religious groups are protected, in line with the Afghan constitution.The UK has a proud history of providing protection to those who need it, in accordance with our international obligations under 1951 Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights. The UK does not consider asylum claims lodged outside UK territory and does not consider it appropriate to do so. Those who need international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach - that is the fastest route to safety.The UK's refugee resettlement schemes do offer a route for United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) recognised refugees in need of protection, who have fled their country of origin. Through these schemes, the UK prioritises the most vulnerable refugees regardless of race, religion or ethnicity and we do not discriminate in favour of, or against, any group. We work closely with UNHCR, which has well-established procedures and criteria for identifying refugees they consider to be suitable for resettlement, taking into account their protection needs. Apart from the criteria we set for each scheme, we do not seek to influence which cases are referred to us by UNHCR.

Americas: Diplomatic Service

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many consular staff have been employed in the Americas in each year since 2010.

Nigel Adams: For each of the last five financial years, the number of consular staff employed in the Americas has remained in the 90 to 100 bracket. This includes around 10 staff in our Contact Centre in Ottawa which, alongside our Contact Centre in Malaga, Spain, provides first contact consular support worldwide. The majority of the total are locally-engaged staff, with UK-based staff numbering fewer than 10.

Aviation: Coronavirus

Mr Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many EU Civil Protection Mechanism flights the Government has signed up to participate in as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.

Nigel Adams: The UK has activated the EU's Civil Protection Mechanism (CPM) on several occasions, as part of our international response to coronavirus, which has helped repatriate British Nationals and EU citizens. As of 16 April, the EU estimates that 1,837 British Nationals have been repatriated under the CPM.Stranded British travellers and their families are our priority. One of the conditions of activating the CPM is to allow EU nationals on board as well. In regions where there have been a large number of British people who wish to return to the UK that has not always been possible. The CPM would, therefore, not be relevant as we haven't been able to offer seats to EU nationals.

British Nationals Abroad: Coronavirus

Mr Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many UK nationals have contacted UK embassies and consulates for help since covid-19 related travel restrictions were introduced.

Nigel Adams: Since 16 March, FCO staff in Embassies, Consulates, and our consular contact centres, together with our commercially contracted call centres, have handled almost 105,000 telephone enquiries. In addition they have dealt with over 3,500 written enquiries per week.

Embassies

Mr Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many UK embassies are open as of 20 April 2020.

Nigel Adams: On 20 April 2020, 98.6% of our Posts were open. 113 of these Posts are British Embassies (this number does not include British High Commissions, Overseas Territories or Posts which are subordinate to Embassies). Four Posts have closed because of the Covid-19 pandemic: our Consulate Generals in Wuhan and Chongqing and the Embassy offices (which do not hold Embassy status) in N'djamena and Goma.

Embassies

Mr Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many UK consulates remain open during the covid-19 pandemic.

Nigel Adams: On 20 April 2020, 98.6% of our Posts were open. 37 of these are British Consulate Generals and 16 are British Consulates. These numbers include only those Posts classed as Consulate Generals or Consulates, and do not include other types of overseas office or representation, such as Honorary Consulates.

Diplomatic Service: Coronavirus

Mr Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many UK embassy and consulate staff are self-isolating as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.

Nigel Adams: The FCO does not hold data centrally on the number of Embassy and Consulate staff who are self-isolating because of COVID-19 symptoms.

British Nationals Abroad: Coronavirus

Mr David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to assist British seafarers stranded overseas as a result of the covid-19 outbreak to return to the UK.

James Cleverly: The British Government's position on welfare was reiterated to the International Labour Organisation and International Maritime Organisation at the start of this crisis, and we will continue to uphold the highest standards for our seafarers. Where vessel operators request assistance to repatriate their employees, the British Government stands ready to work as quickly as possible to help those who may need rapid consular assistance.The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for Transport continue to work closely to ensure the safety and wellbeing of British national crew members. Operators are repatriating non-essential Crew and we have recently supported in country to ensure crew are able to disembark in Europe and the US.

Attorney General

Fraud: Coronavirus

Dr Luke Evans: To ask the Attorney General, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the CPS has adequate enforcement powers to tackle fraudulent activity linked to the covid-19 outbreak.

Suella Braverman: CPS prosecutors are continuing to ensure that justice is delivered during the Covid-19 outbreak. The CPS and National Police Chief Counsel have pushing joint charging protocol for responding to the current situation, under this protocol all Covid related offence, including Covid related fraud will be prioritised for an immediate charging decision. This decision will be made by the CPS applying Code for Crown Prosecutors to determine whether there is enough evidence to charge and if it is in the public interest to bring a case to court.The CPS have already authorised charges following reports that a man had been selling fake treatment kits. The CPS continues to work alongside government and law enforcement to provide a multi-agency response to combat this criminal activity and protect the public.

Coronavirus Act 2020

Alex Cunningham: What discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the use of the powers contained in the Coronavirus Act 2020.

Michael Ellis: I regularly meet ministerial colleagues to discuss important issues, including the Covid-19 outbreak. I am unable to talk about any legal content of those discussions because whether or not the Law Officers have given advice, by convention, is not disclosed outside Government.

Crown Prosecution Service: Finance

Richard Graham: What plans she has for the allocation of the additional £85 million to the CPS.

Michael Ellis: The Government is investing across the justice system.The additional £85 million to the CPS will enable the CPS to respond effectively to any increase in caseload resulting from the recruitment of 20,000 new police officers; to better meet their disclosure obligations; to work with investigators to pursue all reasonable lines of inquiry; and to deliver much needed changes to external counsel fees. Investing in the CPS to meet these pressures demonstrates that this Government is commitment to ensuring that justice is served.

Department of Health and Social Care

Hygiene: Public Places

Munira Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the use of hand sanitising products on reducing the spread of viruses and diseases; and what assessment the Government has made of the potential merits of increasing the provision of hand sanitiser in (a) the London Underground, (b) airports, (c) train stations, (d) stadiums and (e) schools.

Jo Churchill: Holding answer received on 09 March 2020



Public Health England (PHE) recommends washing your hands more often than usual, for 20 seconds, with soap and water and using hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available. This will help prevent people from catching and spreading COVID-19.Sector specific guidance includes advice on what organisations can do to reduce the spread of COVID-19 for example the use of announcements in transport hubs to reinforce key messages and supervising handwashing in young children in schools.Our public health advice is published on gov.uk. Guidance for the transport sector and educational settings can be viewed at the following links:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-staff-in-the-transport-sector/covid-19-guidance-for-staff-in-the-transport-sectorhttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-educational-settings-about-covid-19/guidance-to-educational-settings-about-covid-19The Government is communicating and working collaboratively across all departments and the provision of hand sanitiser is the responsibility of each establishment.

Coronavirus: Liverpool

Sir George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will place in the Library any medical and scientific advice he received on (a) the holding the Champions League fixture at Anfield Stadium on 11 March 2020 and (b) the decision to allow supporters from Spain to travel to and attend that fixture.

Helen Whately: At the time of the fixture there were no restrictions on mass gatherings or foreign travel. The decision to hold this football match was taken by the footballing authorities.The Government relies on the advice of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies for scientific and technical advice during emergencies. This included advice on mass gatherings. It concluded that the risk to an individual from attending large events is generally no higher than in smaller events. In most larger events, such as sports matches, attendees will come into close contact with at most a handful of people, so the risk to attendees is low.The advice can be found here;https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/873748/12-spi-m-o-consensus-view-on-public-gatherings.pdfOn 16 March, the Prime Minister announced significant changes to the Government’s approach to social distancing. This included increasing social distancing to help avoid unnecessary contact between individuals. Advice was issued on mass gatherings on the same day.https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-guidance-for-mass-gatherings

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Ellie Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to promote social distancing in response to the outbreak of covid-19.

Helen Whately: The Government has commissioned a marketing campaign to promote social distancing, including television adverts, posters and via the use of social media.The Government has introduced three new measures:- Requiring people to stay at home, except for very limited purposes;- Closing certain businesses and venues; and- Stopping all gatherings of more than two people in public.Every person in the United Kingdom must comply with these new measures, which came into effect on Monday 23 March. The relevant authorities, including the police, have been given the powers to enforce them – including through fines and dispersing gatherings.

Coronavirus: Sickle Cell Diseases

Dawn Butler: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effect of covid-19 on people with sickle cell disease.

Dawn Butler: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the effect of covid-19 on people with sickle cell trait; and if he will make a statement.

Helen Whately: Holding answer received on 19 March 2020



Those with sickle cell disease have been identified as being at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19, and we are strongly advising them to rigorously follow shielding measures in order to keep themselves safe.Shielding is a measure to protect people who are clinically extremely vulnerable by minimising all social interaction with others. Those who are extremely vulnerable are strongly advised to stay at home at all times and avoid any face-to-face contact for at least 12 weeks. Please note that this period of time could change.NHS England will be in direct contact with those who are at very high risk of severe illness from coronavirus to provide further advice. More information on shielding is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19#how-do-these-measures-differ-from-the-social-distancing-guidance-for-vulnerable-people-issued

Coronavirus: Social Services

Jim McMahon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the ability of the social care system in England to continue to provide care during the outbreak of covid-19, and if he will place a copy of that assessment in the House of Commons Library.

Helen Whately: Holding answer received on 23 March 2020



The Department of Health and Social Care is working closely with the Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government, local authorities and providers themselves to make sure the adult social care sector has the support it needs to plan for and respond to COVID-19.New guidance for the adult social care sector is now available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-residential-care-supported-living-and-home-care-guidanceWe have created a senior leaders’ group to oversee the adult social care response to COVID-19. This group is supported by our national partners, including the Association of Directors of Adult Social Care, the Local Government Association, NHS England, Public Health England, the Care Quality Commission and adult social care provider representatives.In addition, we are providing £2.9 billion of funding to protect and support the most vulnerable in society. The funding package will support hospitals, councils and adult social care providers to help cope with COVID-19.

Coronavirus: : Public Health

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has held discussions with the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on using (a) television and radio broadcast infrastructure and (b) other methods of communication to ensure that the document entitled Guidance on social distancing for everyone in the UK and protecting older people and vulnerable adults, published 16 March 2020 and other future key documents explaining Government guidance on the covid-19 outbreak are available to people who do not have access to the internet; and if he will make a statement.

Helen Whately: Holding answer received on 23 March 2020



On 15 March a new TV advertising campaign was included in to official efforts to ensure the public is aware of the best way to limit and delay the spread of COVID-19. As well as TV, the campaign advice is featuring in newspapers and magazines, on drive-time radio, online and through social media and on billboards and large digital displays, including at bus stops. Additionally, the Prime Minister is holding daily televised press conference to update the nation on the latest measures taken in the fight against COVID-19.

Coronavirus: Alcoholic Drinks

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what preparations he is making to tackle the potential increase in domestic alcohol abuse as a result of reduced social interaction during the covid-19 outbreak.

Jo Churchill: Holding answer received on 23 March 2020



The Government provides advice on the importance of drinking in moderation. This can be found through the One You service and at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-support/the-risks-of-drinking-too-muchThe 2016 UK Chief Medical Officers’ low risk drinking guidelines also provide the public with the most up to date information to help people make informed decisions about their own drinking.Local authorities are responsible for assessing local needs and commissioning alcohol prevention, treatment and harm reduction services to meet these needs. It is important that these services are maintained during the COVID-19 pandemic. Guidance to support commissioners and providers of services for people who use alcohol during the COVID-19 pandemic has been published and is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-commissioners-and-providers-of-services-for-people-who-use-drugs-or-alcohol/covid-19-guidance-for-commissioners-and-providers-of-services-for-people-who-use-drugs-or-alcoholAdditionally, a Clinical Speciality guide for the management of people with alcohol dependence during the COVID-19 pandemic was published on 8 April and is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2020/04/C0157-Specialty-guide_-Alcohol-Dependence-and-coronavirus_8-April.pdf Guidance to support alcohol-dependent drinkers to reduce their intake in a managed way will be published shortly.

Protective Clothing

Fleur Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether personal protective equipment will be provided to (a) police officers (b) front line workers in pharmacies and (c) front line workers in community organisations.

Jo Churchill: Holding answer received on 24 March 2020



The Government published ‘Coronavirus (COVID-19): personal protective equipment (PPE) plan’ on 10 April. It incorporates guidance on who needs PPE and when they need it, routes to ensure those who need it can get it at the right time and sets out actions to secure enough PPE to last through the crisis.The PPE stock in Local Resilience Forums (LRFs) should be distributed only where there is a clear and pressing need and in line with the latest clinical guidance. This is intended to support LRFs who have been advised to prioritise local distribution to those that have close unavoidable contact with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases including highly vulnerable groups. This may include services such as police, community pharmacies and some other vital community services, only where they are unable to obtain PPE through their usual supply routes for PPE and there remains an urgent need for additional stock.PPE is not required when frontline workers can remain more than two metres away from anyone showing signs of COVID-19. Local services should make every effort to redesign services to minimise the number of frontline workers in close contact with symptomatic people, both to protect those workers and to minimise demand for PPE.The plan can be found at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-personal-protective-equipment-ppe-plan

Abortion

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many complications were reported after (a) medical abortions and (b) surgical abortions in (i) 2017, (ii) 2018 and (iii) 2019.

Helen Whately: Holding answer received on 24 March 2020



The number of complications reported after medical and surgical abortions in 2017 and 2018 is available in the attached table. Data on complications should be treated with caution as it is not possible to fully verify complications recorded on HSA4 forms. In addition, complications that occur after discharge may not be recorded. Abortion statistics for 2017 and 2018 are available at the following links: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/abortion-statistics-for-england-and-wales-2018 https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/abortion-statistics-for-england-and-wales-2017 The Code of Practice outlined in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 prohibits the pre-release of official statistics before the due date of publication. Data on complications in 2019 is still being collected and requires full quality assurance prior to release. Data for 2019 is due to be published on 11 June. 



table
(Excel SpreadSheet, 23.6 KB)

Abortion

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many women per 1,000 resident women have had an abortion. in each of the last five years.

Helen Whately: Holding answer received on 24 March 2020



The abortion rate per 1,000 women for 2015 to 2018 is available in the attached table. Abortion statistics can be found at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/abortion-statistics-for-england-and-wales The Code of Practice outlined in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 prohibits the pre-release of official statistics before the due date of publication. Data on the abortion rate per 1,000 women in 2019 is still being collected and requires full quality assurance prior to release. Data for 2019 is due to be published on 11 June.



table
(Excel SpreadSheet, 10.79 MB)

Coronavirus: Carers

Dr Luke Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is providing to support working carers who may be without full time work during the Covid-19 outbreak and who are not entitled to carers allowance.

Helen Whately: People who have caring responsibilities and are currently unable to work should speak to their employer who may be able to keep them on the payroll if the business is unable to operate or have no work for employees to do because of COVID-19. This is known as being ‘on furlough’ leave. Under this scheme, employees could get paid 80% of their wages up to a monthly cap of £2,500.If an employee’s salary is reduced as a result of these changes, they may be eligible for support through the welfare system, including Universal Credit.Those affected check if they could be covered by the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.More guidance on what their rights are at work, what benefits they are entitled to and what further support is available can be found at the following links:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/covid-19-guidance-for-employeeshttps://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/health/coronavirus-what-it-means-for-you/https://www.nationaldebtline.org/EW/factsheets/Pages/coronavirus-advice-and-support/help-and-advice.aspx

Travel Restrictions: Coronavirus

Angela Crawley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what restrictions she plans to place on a person’s (a) movements or travel, (b) activities and (c) contact with others after assessment for covid-19.

Helen Whately: On Monday 23 March, new COVID-19 measures came into effect in the United Kingdom. These measures have reduced day-to-day contact with other people in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The new measures include the following:- Requiring people to stay at home, except for very limited purposes;- Closing of certain businesses and venues; and- Stopping of all gatherings of more than two people in public. Individuals suspected of having COVID-19, who live alone, are required to stay at home for seven days from when the symptoms began. After the seven day period, if the individual no longer has a high temperature, they do not need to continue to self-isolate. Every citizen is instructed to comply with these all of new measures.Further information can be found online at the following links:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/full-guidance-on-staying-at-home-and-away-from-others/full-guidance-on-staying-at-home-and-away-from-othershttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection

NHS: Contracts

Chris Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the role of Dispensing Appliance Contractors in the provision of key (a) products and (b) services to the NHS during the covid-19 pandemic; and what support his Department plans to provide intends to provide to ensure the provision of those contractors' services.

Jo Churchill: There are no known supply issues linked to COVID-19 for appliances routinely dispensed by Dispensing Appliance Contractors like wound dressings, stoma and incontinence appliances. We are working with the supply chain to ensure Dispensing Appliance Contractors can source these products and maintain supply to patients.Dispensing Appliance Contractors like any other primary care providers should follow Public Health England’s guidance on COVID-19.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to manufacture a covid-19 vaccine in the UK once it becomes available.

Jo Churchill: The development of a COVID-19 vaccine is in its early stages but is progressing rapidly. The Government is working alongside industry to ensure the United Kingdom has the manufacturing capability to produce sufficient vaccines to meet UK needs.

Coronavirus: Protective Clothing

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Department is taking to make personal protective equipment available to private companies during the covid-19 outbreak.

Jo Churchill: Holding answer received on 21 April 2020



Manufacturers have reported constraints on supply of new stocks of personal protective equipment and some clinical consumables due to an increase in global demand and the impact of COVID-19 on supply. The Government is constantly monitoring this and working to secure additional stocks to further enhance our preparedness. We have central stockpiles of a range of products and we are prioritising sectors which have a clinical need to receive these supplies.

Social Services: Disability

Neil Coyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that social care and support  being provided to disabled people in their own homes by local authorities is sustained throughout the covid-19 outbreak.

Helen Whately: The Government has announced £1.6 billion of additional funding to support local authorities to respond the COVID-19 pandemic across all service areas. The Department is working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, local authorities and providers to make sure the adult social care sector is ready, and that commissioners and providers work together to maintain services. New guidance is now available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-residential-care-supported-living-and-home-care-guidanceThis covers provision of residential care, supported living and home care.

Coronavirus: Pharmacy

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the availability of over-the-counter paracetamol; if he will take steps to ensure the availability of (a) paracetamol, (b) other over-the-counter medicines and (c) baby milk during the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make a statement.

Jo Churchill: The country is well prepared to deal with the impacts of COVID-19 and we have stockpiles of medicines, including paracetamol, in the event of any supply issues or significant increases in demand.The Department is also aware of some recent local food stockpiling issues and is in discussion with industry to ensure a continued supply of infant formula. This dialogue with the formula industry, including the British Specialist Nutrition Association Ltd, will remain active and we will continue to monitor the situation.The Department is working closely with industry, the National Health Service and others in the supply chain to help ensure patients can access the medicines they need, and precautions are in place to reduce the likelihood of future shortages.The steps being taken to protect United Kingdom supplies in response to the COVID-19 outbreak were set out in the Department’s press statement issued on 11 February 2020. This statement can be read at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-to-monitor-impact-of-coronavirus-on-uk-medicine-supply

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department is having with other countries to accelerate the development of a covid-19 vaccine.

Jo Churchill: The United Kingdom, through the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for International Development, has committed £250 million in total to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) who are key in coordinating international efforts towards developing a COVID-19 vaccine, alongside CEPI’s existing epidemic research portfolio.For COVID-19 research, CEPI are working to improve our understanding of the virus and to develop vaccines, including eight potential vaccine candidates. This includes one project at the University of Oxford. The aim is to advance COVID-19 vaccine candidates into clinical testing as quickly as possible.

Coronavirus: Speech and Language Disorders

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that information about infection prevention, covid-19 symptoms and treatment and care is accessible to those who have speech, language and communication needs.

Jo Churchill: Members of the public will see advice in television adverts featuring the Chief Medical Officer as part of the Government’s drive to ensure everyone knows the best way to limit and delay the spread of the COVID-19. As well as on television, people will see and hear the campaign advice in newspapers and magazines, on drive-time radio, online and through social media and on billboards and large digital displays, including at bus stops. Further information is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/next-stage-of-expanded-coronavirus-covid-19-public-information-campaign-launches The Government has also produced resources in Braille and British Sign Language. These resources are available via Public Health England’s Campaign Resource Centre at the following link: https://campaignresources.phe.gov.uk/resources/campaigns/101-coronavirus-/resources

Coronavirus Bill 2019-21: Speech and Language Disorders

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what impact assessment he has undertaken on the Coronavirus Bill for people with speech, language and communication needs.

Jo Churchill: An impact assessment and Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) assessment was conducted in relation to the provisions contained in the Coronavirus Bill. The PSED requires public bodies to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between different people when carrying out their activities, including those with protected characteristics. We will continue to consider the impacts on people with protected characteristics when considering how to implement policies using powers contained in the Act.

Hospitals: Parking

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure NHS staff are exempt from hospital car parking charges.

Helen Whately: Officials are working closely with the National Health Service and the independent sector to ensure that all NHS staff are exempt from hospital car parking charges during the COVID – 19 pandemic.On 25 March Health the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced that hospitals will provide free car parking for our NHS staff who are going above and beyond every day in hospitals across England. On the same day, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government announced that local councils will offer free on-street and off-street car parking in local authority car parks to all NHS staff members, health or social care workers, and NHS Volunteer Responders during the COVID-19 emergency response.When the pandemic begins to abate, the NHS will move from providing free parking to all its staff, to the Government’s commitment to offering free hospital car parking to key patient groups and NHS staff in certain circumstances. Our plans include:free parking for certain groups of people, following the Government’s commitment that disabled people, frequent outpatient attenders, parents of sick children staying overnight and staff working night shifts will no longer have to pay; and consideration of parking capacity across the country and how improved technology can reduce the administrative burden on hospitals.

NHS: Protective Clothing

Peter Kyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much personal protective equipment the NHS (a) has and (b) plans on purchasing.

Jo Churchill: Holding answer received on 21 April 2020



As of 14 April, since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak we have delivered over 923 million pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) to 58,000 different health and care settings including National Health Service trusts, general practitioners, pharmacies, care homes and community providers.The Government’s PPE plan was published on 10 April and can be found at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/879221/Coronavirus__COVID-19__-_personal_protective_equipment__PPE__plan.pdf As Strand 3 details, we have set up a cross-Government PPE sourcing unit to secure new supply lines from across the world and a call to industry has been issued to companies at home to manufacture and supply additional PPE at scale.

Protective Clothing: Manufacturing Industries

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to encourage industries to switch production to personal protection equipment for (a) the NHS and (b) social care providers.

Jo Churchill: The Government’s personal protection equipment (PPE) plan was published on 10 April and can be found at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-personal-protective-equipment-ppe-plan As Strand 3 details, we have set up a cross-Government PPE sourcing unit to secure new supply lines from across the world and a call to industry has been issued to companies at home to manufacture and supply additional PPE at scale.There has been limited United Kingdom manufacture of PPE to date and so new supply channels for materials to make PPE have been sourced at pace in order to enable new manufacturing to commence.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what further guidance his Department plans to issue on social distancing to (a) hairdressers, (b) driving instructors and (c) other professions.

Helen Whately: The Government issued further guidance on social distancing on 23 March, which specifically included hairdressers, driving instructors and other professions, and can be found at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-businesses-and-premises-to-closeThe Government will keep all measures and related guidance, under constant review and update regularly.

Coronavirus: Religion

Mike Amesbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to provide guidance to religious bodies during the covid-19 outbreak.

Helen Whately: To make sure people are staying at home and apart from each other, the government has stopped all public gatherings of more than two people. This includes weddings, baptisms and other religious ceremonies. However, this excludes funerals in places of worship and crematoria.More details can be found at the following links:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/full-guidance-on-staying-at-home-and-away-from-others/full-guidance-on-staying-at-home-and-away-from-others#closing-certain-businesses-and-venueshttps://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/875304/240320_Revised_Guidance.pdfWhile the government recognises the importance of rituals and gatherings, it is advised that the actions detailed in their “guidance for communities managing a death” are taken to reduce the spread of infection. More information can be found at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-care-of-the-deceased/guidance-for-care-of-the-deceased-with-suspected-or-confirmed-coronavirus-covid-19#guidance-for-professionals-who-manage-bodies-including-mortuary-staff-pathologists-and-funeral-directors

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Angela Crawley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reasons the Government guidance that over-70s are at increased risk of severe illness from covid-19 differs to the World Health Organisation guidance that identifies over-60s as at increased risk from that disease.

Jo Churchill: The international data shows that the hospitalisation rate is greatest in the vulnerable, including those aged 70 and older. Asking this group to be most stringent with social distancing is important for reducing the pressure on intensive care beds. The United Kingdom policy in this regard is based on a review of the scientific evidence by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies which is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/scientific-advisory-group-for-emergencies-sage-coronavirus-covid-19-response

Health Services: Protective Clothing

Fleur Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase the supply of personal protective equipment to (a) primary care facilities and (b) GP staff.

Jo Churchill: Holding answer received on 21 April 2020



As of 14 April, since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak we have delivered over 923 million pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) to 58,000 different health and care settings including National Health Service trusts, general practitioners, pharmacies and community providers. We have provided PPE equipment to over 26,000 care homes including home care and hospices across the country. Over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend, over 48 million PPE items have been delivered. We are working around the clock to give the NHS and the wider social care sector the equipment and support they need to tackle this outbreak. We have brought together the NHS, industry and the Armed Forces to create a new nationwide PPE distribution network, delivering critical PPE supplies to those who need it. We have a 24 hours a day, seven days a week helpline for those experiencing supply disruption with business as usual ordering channels. Where there may be any shortages, we act on this immediately. Local Resilience Forums are also supporting care homes, hospices, home care and primary care in getting hold of PPE equipment.

Protective Clothing: Cumbria

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what (a) type and (b) amount of personal protective equipment will be delivered to each (i) hospital, (ii) GP surgery and (iii) care home in Cumbria; and when those deliveries will take place.

Jo Churchill: Holding answer received on 21 April 2020



As of 14 April, since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak we have delivered over 923 million pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) to 58,000 different health and care settings including National Health Service trusts, general practitioners, pharmacies and community providers. This includes: - 173 million masks;- 163 million aprons;- 1.3 million gowns; and- 440 million pairs of gloves. We have provided PPE equipment to over 26,000 care homes including home care and hospices across the country. Over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend, over 48 million PPE items have been delivered. We are working around the clock to give the NHS and the wider social care sector the equipment and support they need to tackle this outbreak. We have brought together the NHS, industry and the armed forces to create a new nationwide PPE distribution network, delivering critical PPE supplies to those who need it. We have a 24 hours a day, seven days a week helpline for those experiencing supply disruption with business as usual ordering channels. Where there may be any shortages, we act on this immediately. Local Resilience Forums are also supporting care homes, hospices, home care and primary care in getting hold of PPE equipment.

Children: Coronavirus

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to produce a child-friendly guide to the covid-19 outbreak and relevant governmental actions, including schools closures and social distancing.

Helen Whately: Public Health England (PHE) has signposted teachers to E-Bug resources that will help younger children understand how diseases spread at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-educational-settings-about-covid-19/guidance-to-educational-settings-about-covid-19PHE will also publish guidance for teachers providing ideas on how emphasise the importance of handwashing through games, singing and play. This guidance will be published shortly.The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health has further resources on COVID-19, including a child friendly poster which can be viewed at the following link:https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2020-03/covid-19_childfriendly_poster_cc_march2020_0.pdf

Coronavirus: Screening

Geraint Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the covid-19 antibody testing kits.

Ms Nadine Dorries: The Government is currently evaluating antibody tests at pace, through a special process at Oxford University, overseen by several of the leading scientists in the field. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has also published a ‘Target Product Profile’ for serology tests, outlining expected test performance.The results from the first evaluation of antibody tests have shown that, of the tests the Government has looked at so far, none have proven accurate enough to be rolled out for clinical use. Further information on the methodology and results of the evaluation process has been published in a paper (which has been submitted to the Lancet for acceptance and review), which can be found at the following link:https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.15.20066407v1 As new tests become available, we will continue to review them through the process outlined above, at pace.

Childbirth

Alexander Stafford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the covid-19 outbreak, what steps he is taking to ensure that women are allowed to have a birth partner with them during labour.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Guidance produced by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists is clear that women should be encouraged to have a single birth partner, who has no symptoms of COVID-19, present with them during labour and birth, unless the birth occurs under general anaesthetic. Having a trusted birth partner present throughout labour is known to make a significant difference to the safety and well-being of women in childbirth.If the birth partner has symptoms of COVID-19, they will not be allowed to go into the maternity suite, to safeguard the health of the woman, other women and babies, and the maternity staff. However, an alternative, well birth partner can attend in their place.

Postnatal Care

Alexander Stafford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that women receive the same level of postnatal support during the covid-19 outbreak as they received before.

Ms Nadine Dorries: The National Health Service is making arrangements to ensure that women are supported and cared for safely through pregnancy, birth and the period afterwards during this pandemic when there will be extra pressures on healthcare services.Community health services should continue to provide support during the current pandemic with greater use of digital and remote technologies prioritising higher needs families. Antenatal contact and new baby visits should continue, with other help assessed and stratified for vulnerable or clinical need.Mental health providers are also looking at how they can maximise the use of digital and virtual channels to keep delivering support to existing and new service users.

Coronavirus: Medical Equipment

Ben Lake: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether there are agreements in place between the UK Government and the Welsh Government to prevent competitive bidding for medical equipment needed to respond to the covid-19 outbreak.

Edward Argar: Holding answer received on 27 April 2020



Health is a devolved matter. There is not an agreement between the UK and Welsh Government to prevent competitive bidding.The UK Government continues to work well with the devolved administrations. We have no record of competitive bidding practices taking place with the Welsh Government.

Motor Neurone Disease: Coronavirus

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to include patients with motor neurone disease as people that are defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable from covid-19.

Helen Whately: Holding answer received on 27 April 2020



Individuals who have been identified as clinically extremely vulnerable have been advised to shield to protect themselves. Six categories of clinical conditions were used to identify individuals who are extremely vulnerable due to complex health problems. It was determined that people with motor neurone disease (MND) would not be included in this list, as there are many stages to the disease, with varying levels of severity. This is under constant clinical review.General practitioners (GPs) and hospital clinicians have the discretion to add individual patients to the list based on case-by-case clinical assessments of each individual’s needs. GPs and hospital specialists have completed initial reviews of their patient lists and are continuing to identify patients as their clinical conditions change. Anyone with MND who is concerned that that the severity of their symptoms means they may be clinically extremely vulnerable, should contact their GP to discuss.

Coronavirus: Birth Rate

Dr Luke Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the covid-19 lockdown on the birth rate; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure that there is adequate provision to respond to a potential increase in the birth rate as a result of the covid-19 lockdown.

Ms Nadine Dorries: We do not yet know what impact the COVID-19 lockdown might have on the birth rate in England.The National Health Service is making arrangements to ensure that women are supported and cared for safely through pregnancy, birth and the period afterwards, during and following this pandemic, when there will be extra pressures on healthcare services. We expect any changes to the configuration of maternity services to be temporary. NHS England and NHS Improvement’s ‘Clinical guide for the temporary reorganisation of intrapartum maternity care during the coronavirus pandemic’ states that recovery plans are essential and should bear in mind the regional modelling of how the virus is likely to spread.

Psychology: Training

Dr Lisa Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensuring that the (a) education and (b) training of psychological professionals continues during the covid-19 outbreak to meet the (i) ambitions of the Long- Term Plan and (ii) potential additional psychological needs caused by that pandemic.

Ms Nadine Dorries: The education and training of psychological professionals in England remains a Health Education England (HEE) priority during the COVID-19 outbreak. Regulatory bodies representing professions in the psychological workforce have recently issued statements on how training and education will be managed during this outbreak.It is too early to make a full evaluation of the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has on any additional psychological needs for the population, but the Government will continue to keep this under review. HEE and NHS Improvement are working with professional bodies to ensure staff training continues during COVID-19 such as moving studies on line to ensure we continue to have the pipeline of staff we need to support patients and to accommodate increased demand.Education and training in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales is a matter for each of the devolved administrations.

Psychiatry: Coronavirus

Dr Lisa Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that people have (a) telephone and (b) digital access to psychological therapies during the covid-19 outbreak; and what steps he is taking to ensure that access to those therapies is (i) safe and (ii) confidential.

Ms Nadine Dorries: NHS England has asked all mental health trusts to review advice lines to ensure that 24 hours a day, seven days a week advice is available to people of all ages through a single point of access. Mental health providers are also looking at how they can maximise the use of digital and virtual channels to keep delivering support to existing and new service users. NHSX has published guidance to support the use of digital and virtual channels, including off-the-shelf applications such as Skype and WhatsApp, and designed-for purpose commercial products. This advice is endorsed by the Information Commissioner’s Office, the National Data Guardian and NHS Digital.

Coronavirus: Mental Health Services

Dr Lisa Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has commissioned any modelling of potential increased need for psychological interventions during the covid-19 outbreak; what plans he has to increase the psychological professions workforce; and if he will make a statement.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Health Education England is currently working with NHS England and NHS Improvement to model the increased demand for psychological professions both during and after the COVID-19 outbreak.The workforce development, education and training of psychological professionals also remains a Health Education England priority both now and in the future.

Coronavirus: Young People

Dr Lisa Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the findings of the survey of young people with a history of mental health published by YoungMinds on 30 March 2020; and what steps the Government is taking to help ensure provision of support to young people (a) in self-isolation and (b) socially distancing during the covid-19 outbreak..

Ms Nadine Dorries: Children and young people’s mental health remains a priority for this Government. NHS England and NHS Improvement have asked all mental health trusts to ensure they have 24 hours a day, seven days a week open access telephone lines in place for urgent National Health Service mental health support, advice and triage for people of all ages through a single point of access. Mental health providers are also looking at how they can maximise the use of digital and virtual channels to keep delivering support to existing and new service users. Public Health England has also updated resources, such as the Every Mind Matters platform, and published guidance for parents and carers on supporting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Health Services: Pregnancy

Alberto Costa: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support pregnant health care workers during the covid-19 pandemic.

Helen Whately: Guidance updated on 21 April 2020 from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists emphasises that pregnant women of any gestation should be offered the choice of whether to work in direct patient-facing roles during the COVID-19 pandemic.Health care workers who are less than 28 weeks pregnant should practise social distancing but can choose to continue working in a patient-facing role, provided the necessary precautions are taken.Women who are more than 28 weeks pregnant, or have underlying health conditions, should avoid direct patient contact and it is recommended that they stay at home.If it is found that an employee or the pregnancy would be at risk were the employee to continue with their normal duties, the employer should provide suitable alternative work for which the employee will receive their normal rate of pay. Where it is not reasonably practicable to offer suitable alternative work, the employee should be suspended on full pay.

Coronavirus: Ethnic Groups

Christine Jardine: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people in each ethnic group have (a) been tested, (b) tested positive and (c) died following  a positive test as a result of covid-19.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Data on the number of people who have been tested, tested positive, and died from COVID-19 are not currently available in the format requested.The latest data on the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths can be viewed at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-publicPublic Health England is gathering and analysing data to measure the impact of COVID-19 across different population groups. This includes work to analyse confirmed cases, hospitalisations and deaths relating to COVID-19 by ethnicity, where this data is available.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to provide guidance to the residential care sector on isolating care home residents that test positive for covid-19 in order to reduce the transmission of that disease to vulnerable residents.

Helen Whately: To support the care sector in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department published the Adult Social Care Action Plan on 15 April 2020. The action plan contains measures to help keep people safe in residential care, including additional testing and guidance on isolation and cohorting measures.Additionally, the Government, NHS England, Public Health England and Care Quality Commission co-published updated guidance on 2 April 2020. ‘Admission and Care of Residents during COVID-19 Incident in a Care Home’ sets out infection control and cohorting advice to care homes to ensure providers have the confidence to receive and support residents. The Care Homes guidance includes information on caring for residents who have tested positive for COVID-19, including advice on personal protective equipment and infection control. Care home providers should be following social distancing measures and shielding guidance wherever possible.

NHS: Equality

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the number of diversity and inclusion managers employed in the NHS.

Helen Whately: The Department does not hold the data requested.

Coronavirus: Mental Health Services

Kate Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what additional mental health support his Department is providing to (a) children and (b) young people during the covid-19 outbreak.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Children and young people’s mental health remains a priority for this Government. NHS England and NHS Improvement have asked all mental health trusts to ensure they have 24 hours a day, seven days a week open access telephone lines in place for urgent National Health Service mental health support, advice and triage for people of all ages through a single point of access. Mental health providers are also looking at how they can maximise the use of digital and virtual channels to keep delivering support to existing and new service users. Public Health England has also updated resources, such as the Every Mind Matters platform, and published guidance for parents and carers on supporting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reasons the coronavirus status checker survey does not collect sex-disaggregated data; and what comparative assessment he has made of the effect of covid-19 on (a) men and (b) women and (i) girls and (ii) boys.

Ms Nadine Dorries: The National Health Service Coronavirus Status checker collects only the minimum amount of data necessary to predict the likely demand on NHS services. NHSX plan to iterate the survey and may add gender to this collection, if it would help predict demand more effectively.Public Health England (PHE) has established surveillance systems to collect and analyse data on COVID-19 infection, including age and sex. Addressing inequalities is a key concern for PHE as is understanding the wider public health implications of an emergency such as the one we are experiencing.The number of COVID-19 cases and deaths by age and sex can be viewed on the National COVID-19 Weekly Summary Report at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-covid-19-surveillance-reports

NHS: Disclosure of Information

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has received reports of (a) NHS Trusts and (b) other NHS bodies putting in place new restrictions on their staff speaking in public or to journalists about their concerns on the situation within their workplace since the outbreak of covid-19; and if he will make a statement

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the effect on (a) NHS staff safety, (b) patient safety and (c) public trust of reports of restrictions by NHS bodies on staff members who wish to speak in public or to journalists about their concerns on the situation within their workplace during the covid-19 outbreak.

Ms Nadine Dorries: The Government supports the right of staff working in the National Health Service to speak up and raise concerns. Speaking up is vital for ensuring patient safety and improving the quality of services and should be a routine part of business in the NHS.The Government has proactively encouraged NHS staff to raise concerns over recent years, and provided support by establishing an independent National Guardian to help drive positive cultural change across the NHS so that speaking up becomes business as usual.NHS staff remain free to speak in a personal capacity about their work.

Coronavirus: Surveys

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason the sex of participants is not collected by the NHS survey hosted at www.nhs.uk/coronavirus-status-checker/.

Ms Nadine Dorries: The National Health Service Coronavirus Status checker collects only the minimum amount of data necessary to predict the likely demand on NHS services. NHSX plans to iterate the survey and may add gender to this collection, if it would help predict demand more effectively.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what criteria the Government plans to use to determine when covid-19 lockdown measures can be lifted.

Helen Whately: Holding answer received on 27 April 2020



The Government has set out five conditions which needs to be met before it is safe to adjust any measures.The first is to protect the National Health Service’s ability to cope; second, we need to see a fall in the death rate; third, we need reliable data from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies showing that the rate of infection has decreased across all settings; fourth, we need to be confident that the range of operational challenges are in hand; and fifth we must be confident that any adjustments to current measures will not lead to a significant second peak of infections.When we are confident on these five points, guided by science and data, we will look to adjust measures to protect public health whilst allowing some economic and social activity. We will only do this when evidence says that it is safe to do so.

Coronavirus: Testing

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Government is taking to minimise the use of animals in the creation of diagnostic antibody tests for covid-19.

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which species of animals are being used in the creation of tests for covid-19; and for what reasons.

Ms Nadine Dorries: The Government is backing efforts to develop a homegrown antibody test. A business consortium, UK Rapid Test Consortium (UK-RTC), including Oxford University, Abingdon Health, BBI Solutions and CIGA Healthcare has launched, in order to design and develop a new antibody test to determine whether people have had the virus. The development of this test will not involve testing on animals.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the timeframe is for testing people on their discharge from hospital following treatment for covid-19 to ensure that they are no longer able to transmit covid-19; and if he will make a statement.

Ms Nadine Dorries: The Government has published guidance on infection control precautions and discharging of COVID-19 patients which can be found at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-stepdown-of-infection-control-precautions-within-hospitals-and-discharging-covid-19-patients-from-hospital-to-home-settings/guidance-for-stepdown-of-infection-control-precautions-and-discharging-covid-19-patientsAll patients being discharged to a care home will be tested prior to discharge to ascertain their COVID-19 status. More information can be found in the COVID-19: adult social care action plan, which is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-adult-social-care-action-plan

Coronavirus: British Nationals Abroad

Patricia Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason UK citizens returning from overseas are not being quarantined.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Holding answer received on 27 April 2020



On 12 March 2020 the Prime Minister announced that the COVID-19 response was moving from the contain to delay phase. This phase has been initiated as there is now community transmission of the virus in the United Kingdom, i.e. transmission not directly related to travel; this has made interventions in ports of less relative importance. With the shift to the delay phase and commensurate policy changes the Public Health England port health approach has changed to a ‘warn and inform focus’.

Medical Equipment: Imports

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will allocate funding to reimburse medical companies that import medical equipment necessary for the treatment by the NHS of patients with covid-19 for the increased costs of shipping that equipment from North America, Europe and Asia to the UK to meet the needs of the NHS.

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if the Government will (a) reimburse companies' increased air freight costs and (b) vary NHS (i) tenders and (ii) framework to cover the uplift in transport costs for products supplied to the NHS for the treatment of covid-19 patients.

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has taken steps to reduce the increase in fees charged by airfreight carriers to medical companies that supply equipment for the NHS to treat covid-19 patients.

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the effect of increased air freight fees on the operation of medical companies importing goods at fixed product prices.

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has had discussions with the Department for Transport on increasing the number of air freight transport routes in operation to minimise delays to the import of medical supplies.

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Government is working with air freight companies to prioritise the supply of medical equipment for the treatment of covid-19 patients at an appropriate cost.

Edward Argar: Holding answer received on 27 April 2020



The Government has announced a range of measures to assist industry and companies are able to draw on this unprecedented package of economic measures. These measures have been designed to ensure that companies of any size, including airports, airlines and the wider supply chain, receive the help they need to get through this difficult time. The Government recognises that air freight plays an important role in supply chains and the importance that essential goods can continue to be brought into and out of the United Kingdom without disruption. COVID-19 presents unique risks to the movement of goods. Because of this, the Department for Transport is working with different sectors to help ensure that essential goods can continue to be transported into the UK. This includes working closely with the aviation sector to support it to ensure there is sufficient capacity to protect global travel routes, continue freight and maintain vital connectivity. The Department of Health and Social Care is working closely with the Department for Transport, other Government Departments and industry to feed into this ongoing work as well as monitor the impact of COVID-19 on medical supply chains and manage identified risks. For example, the Department of Health and Social Care has mobilised an Express Freight Service to support the continuity of supply of medicines and medical products and ensure the continued prioritisation of critical products. This is complemented by the current work of the Civil Aviation Authority and the Competition and Markets Authority. The Civil Aviation Authority oversees and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the United Kingdom and is engaging airlines and airports to provide flexibility within the regulatory framework to help manage and mitigate COVID-19 impacts where appropriate. The Competition and Markets Authority, which has launched a COVID-19 pandemic taskforce to identify harmful pricing practices is advising the Government on the means of ensuring markets operate as well as possible.

Coronavirus: Hospital Beds

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 21 April 2020 to Question 33582 on Coronavirus: Hospital Beds, what estimate the Government has made of the cost to the public purse of reimbursing the independent sector.

Edward Argar: National Health Service patients are benefitting from an unprecedented partnership with private hospitals in the United Kingdom as we battle the COVID-19 outbreak. The NHS is accessing these facilities at cost, with those costs judged by an independent auditor. Reimbursements to the independent sector will be for reasonable and narrowly-defined costs only.It is not possible at this time to provide an estimate of the cost to the public purse of reimbursing the independent sector.

Coronavirus: Pharmacy

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance he has provided to community pharmacies on the sale of Ibuprofen during the covid-19 outbreak.

Jo Churchill: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Hospital Beds: Private Sector

Gavin Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the covid-19 outbreak how many private healthcare hospital beds the NHS has requisitioned; how many of those beds have been used; and what the cost of that requisitioning has been to date.

Edward Argar: Holding answer received on 27 April 2020



The Department and NHS England and NHS Improvement have worked with the independent sector to increase capacity and resource within the National Health Service, adding around 8,000 beds and 20,000 clinical staff. This will ensure that more facilities are available for patients diagnosed with COVID-19.Under the agreement, the independent sector will be reimbursed at cost.

Health Services: Coronavirus

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to provide support to (a) health visiting, (b) children’s services, (c) CAMHS and (d) perinatal mental health services for the potential increase in demand for services as a result of (i) missed appointments, (ii) the development of additional needs, (iii) the potential increase in births as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Holding answer received on 27 April 2020



On 18 April, the Government announced a further £1.6 billion to be made available to provide essential services and support to those who need it most.NHS England and NHS Improvement have been working with local government to modify and prioritise community health services. This has been compiled in line with clinical advice, with community health services prioritising service delivery so that the most urgent needs continue to be met. Health visiting services are continuing to deliver the healthy child programme predominantly via virtual methods, with health visitors encouraged to identify children that require a home visit.Mental health services are working around the clock to support people with mental health issues through the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Providers are seeking to maximise the use of digital and virtual channels to keep supporting existing and new service users.

Department for International Development

Africa: Coronavirus

Christian Wakeford: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps his Department is taking to support developing countries in Africa to tackle the covid-19 outbreak.

James Duddridge: The UK is playing a leading role in the global response to COVID-19, working with international partners to slow its spread. We are using UK aid to mitigate new health, humanitarian and economic risks across Africa and have pledged £744 million of UK aid globally to end the pandemic. The UK continues to work with partners, including the United Nations, to ensure aid reaches those most in need. We have provided health experts in key African countries and organisations. This includes a team at the WHO’s AFRO regional office in Brazzaville.The UK is also providing up to £150 million to the International Monetary Fund’s Catastrophe Containment Relief Trust to help developing countries, including many in Africa, meet their debt repayments so that they can focus available resources on tackling COVID-19. The UK has worked closely with G20 creditors and the Paris Club on a temporary suspension of debt repayments from countries that request relief, further boosting response capacities.Finally, the UK is urgently redirecting existing programmes right across Africa to respond to COVID-19, prioritising health, humanitarian, growth and trade as well as education and nutrition, recognising that these components are vital for response and longer term recovery.

Yemen: Overseas Aid

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her department is taking to (a) provide new and additional funding and (b) support local actors in Yemen to respond to the covid-19 pandemic with (i) public health promotion, (ii) livelihoods assistance and (iii) increasing food security.

James Cleverly: The UK has already announced £744 million of aid to support the global efforts to combat the outbreak of COVID-19, including helping developing countries like Yemen to rapidly identify and care for patients with symptoms.In response to COVID-19, we continue to support the United Nations Children Fund, who are working with Yemen’s Ministry of Health to strengthen the country’s health care capacity. We are also engaging closely with the World Food Programme and the Yemen Social Fund for Development, to bring forward funding to tackle food insecurity and increase livelihoods assistance.

Trade: Coronavirus

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent steps her Department has taken to ensure the sustainability of global supply chains during the covid-19 pandemic.

Nigel Adams: Disruption to trade is one of the key drivers of COVID-19 global economic shock. Long-lasting or overly restrictive trade measures that inhibit free trade will hit the most vulnerable countries hardest.The government is working to keep supply chains open to ensure essential goods and services reach consumers and vulnerable livelihoods are protected. The demand and supply challenges facing global trade are acute.We are working with the G20, WTO and World Bank on development-focused trade support, including ensuring flows of medical supplies.

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance: Finance

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much funding the Government plans to provide to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, in each year from 2021 to 2025.

Wendy Morton: Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance’s work is critical to the delivery of the UK’s objective to end preventable deaths, having helped save 13 million lives since its inception in 2000, and has a crucial role to play in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The UK remains deeply committed to supporting this work, including through the provision of significant funding to Gavi and hosting the Gavi replenishment at the Global Vaccine Summit 2020 on 4 June. The level of funding for Gavi’s next strategic period is currently being considered.

Department for Education

Schools: Coronavirus

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of school closures during the covid-19 outbreak on the educational attainment of pupils in the long term.

Nick Gibb: Holding answer received on 15 April 2020



The Department is committed to ensuring that children can continue to learn in these very difficult circumstances. We issued guidance on 7 April which signposts to an initial list of free online resources for schools and parents to help children to learn at home. This is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-online-education-resources.In addition, some leading state schools have collaborated to open The Oak National Academy, which was launched online on 20 April. This new initiative is led by 40 teachers who have assembled video lessons and resources for any teacher in the country to make use of if they wish to do so. 180 video lessons will be provided each week, across a broad range of subjects, for every year group from Reception through to Year 10. The BBC has also developed resources for families as part of a comprehensive new education package, which are now available on TV and online.On 19 April, the Department issued information, guidance and support to parents and carers of children who are continuing their education from home, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/supporting-your-childrens-education-during-coronavirus-covid-19.On the same day, we also published information on the Department’s work in partnership with suppliers to provide technology to support remote education, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/get-help-with-technology-for-remote-education-during-coronavirus-covid-19.Devices will be ordered for the most disadvantaged children who would otherwise not have access and are preparing for examinations in Year 10, for those who receive support from a social worker, and for care leavers.Where care leavers, children with a social worker at secondary school and children in Year 10 do not have internet connections, we are working to provide 4G connectivity to them so that they can learn at home.

Childminding: Coronavirus

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support he is providing to (a) childminders and (b) families that rely on childminding services during the covid-19 outbreak.

Vicky Ford: We have asked parents to keep their children at home wherever possible, and, like all early years providers, childminders should remain open only for children who are vulnerable and for those children of workers critical to the coronavirus (COVID-19) response. Our guidance for early years settings, including childminders, about childcare provision following the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19), including funding support, is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures.

GCSE: Coronavirus

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that students who will miss (a) examinations and (b) assessments due to the covid-19 outbreak have clear information on what teacher assessments for their final GCSE grades will comprise; and what the status is of GCSE exams taken in year 10 is in that assessment.

Nick Gibb: Our latest guidance on GCSEs and A levels is set out below: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-schools-and-other-educational-settings.The independent qualifications regulator Ofqual is working very closely with exam boards to develop and implement a system for awarding grades this summer that is as fair as possible. Ofqual is consulting until 29 April on a range of aspects of that system, including the issues raised. The consultation is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/exceptional-arrangements-for-exam-grading-and-assessment-in-2020.Ofqual will be responding on those issues as soon as possible after the consultation has closed.

Supply Teachers: Coronavirus

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to provide financial support to supply teachers in response to the covid-19 outbreak.

Nick Gibb: As both my right hon. Friends, the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer, have made clear, the Government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.Our latest school workforce guidance on COVID-19, including supply teachers, is set out below: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-school-closures/guidance-for-schools-about-temporarily-closing#supply-teachers-and-other-contingent-workers.Further guidance on financial support for all education institutions is set out below: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-financial-support-for-education-early-years-and-childrens-social-care/coronavirus-covid-19-financial-support-for-education-early-years-and-childrens-social-care.These are rapidly developing circumstances. We continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.

Children: Day Care

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that health and social care workers are able to access childcare through schools when required; and if he will make a statement.

Vicky Ford: Schools are open for children of critical workers, including health and social care workers, to that they are able to access childcare while they play their vital role in our COVID-19 response. The full list of critical workers eligible for a school place is here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision.

Nurseries: Coronavirus

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Government plans to take steps to ensure that parents whose children are not able to attend nurseries during the covid-19 outbreak are not required to pay fees to maintain those nurseries in business.

Vicky Ford: We are working hard to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on all parts of our society, including individuals and business. Childcare providers will have individual agreements with parents and therefore we urge all childcare providers to be reasonable and balanced in their dealings with parents, given the great uncertainty they will be facing too. Guidance for early years settings, including the support available to them, can be found at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures. Further guidance on funding and financial support available for education, childcare and children’s social care organisations can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-financial-support-for-education-early-years-and-childrens-social-care.

Pre-school Education: Staff

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the covid-19 outbreak, if his Department will (a) undertake an impact assessment on mental health of staff in the early years sector and (b) put in place safeguarding measures and support for people in that sector as required.

Vicky Ford: Those who work in the education and childcare sector rightly take their place next to our NHS staff and other critical workers as central to our efforts in battling COVID-19. We are keenly aware that the extraordinary measures that have been taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19 present an unprecedented challenge for childcare settings and their workers, as well as the communities they serve. We appreciate the selfless dedication that childcare staff demonstrate in their work every single day. We encourage childcare providers to continue to monitor and support the wellbeing of all their staff at this time.  Guidance for early years settings is published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures.

Private Education: Coronavirus

Stuart Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has plans to introduce financial support for independent schools affected by the covid-19 outbreak which are not eligible for the business interruption loan scheme.

Nick Gibb: As both my right hon. Friends, the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer, have made clear, the Government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.Our latest guidance setting out the financial support that is available to independent schools is set out below: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-financial-support-for-education-early-years-and-childrens-social-care/coronavirus-covid-19-financial-support-for-education-early-years-and-childrens-social-care#independent-schools.The guidance clarifies that this financial support includes the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, which many independent schools will be eligible to apply for, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme for furloughed workers and the Statutory Sick Pay relief scheme for non-public sector employers.These are rapidly developing circumstances. We continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.

Assessments: Coronavirus

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether examiners will be paid in full for contracts they have signed relating to exams which were due to take place in summer 2020.

Nick Gibb: This is a matter for individual examination boards that employ examiners.

GCSE: Coronavirus

Alberto Costa: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that GCSE pupils taught by external providers have their learning validated in the absence of exams due to the covid-19 outbreak.

Nick Gibb: As both my right hon. Friends, the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer, have made clear, the Government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.Our latest guidance on GCSEs is set out below: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-cancellation-of-gcses-as-and-a-levels-in-2020/coronavirus-covid-19-cancellation-of-gcses-as-and-a-levels-in-2020.The independent qualifications regulator Ofqual is working closely with exam boards to develop and implement a system for awarding GCSE grades this summer that is as fair as possible. Ofqual is consulting until 29 April on a range of aspects of that system, including the issues the hon. Member has raised. The consultation is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/exceptional-arrangements-for-exam-grading-and-assessment-in-2020.Ofqual will be responding on those issues as soon as possible after the consultation has closed.

Education: Standards

Emma Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of suspending data, performance tables and targets for further education colleges and sixth form colleges until September 2021.

Gillian Keegan: As part of steps taken to fight the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), the government announced that all exams due to take place in schools and colleges in England in summer 2020 are cancelled and that it will not publish any school or college level educational performance data based on tests, assessments or exams for 2020. This includes both school and college performance tables and qualification achievement rates. This announcement can be found at the following link: https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2020-03-23/HCWS176/.We will also not include any 2020 results data at pupil level in future performance tables.The department will not hold schools or colleges to account on the basis of exams and assessment data from summer 2020. Additionally, this data will not be used by other organisations, such as Ofsted and local authorities, to hold schools or colleges to account. Further information can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-school-and-college-performance-measures.We have made no assessment yet of the potential case for and against suspending data and performance tables beyond this year.

Children: Day Care

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if the Government will cover the increased childcare costs for part-time (a) NHS and (b) emergency workers who return to work full-time during the covid-19 outbreak.

Vicky Ford: NHS staff, emergency workers and all other critical workers are central to our efforts in battling the COVID-19 outbreak. That is why our objective is to ensure that critical workers have the childcare that they need to do their jobs during this crisis. We expect early years and childcare settings, schools and local authorities to work together to ensure sufficient provision for children. We have committed to continue providing free early education entitlement funding to local authorities throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, as well as ensuring early years providers have access to other government support schemes for businesses whose operations have been severely affected by COVID-19. Local authorities can use their free entitlement funding differently, redistributing it – in exceptional cases and in a clearly focussed and targeted way – in order to secure childcare for the children of critical workers, where their usual arrangements are no longer possible. Further information is available in the guidance published at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-early-yearsand-childcare-closures.

Free School Meals: Coronavirus

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what rate of commission Edenred is charging for its service to provide free school meal vouchers during the covid-19 outbreak.

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what process his Department used to select the provider for the free school meal voucher programme during the covid-19 outbreak.

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department made an assessment of the accessibility of all retailers when designing the free school meal voucher scheme during the covid-19 outbreak.

Vicky Ford: The contract for the national free school meals voucher scheme was let against Crown Commercial Service framework RM6133. The successful provider is the sole provider on the framework and direct awards are permitted action. The department does not comment on the commercial arrangements of third parties but can confirm that we are only paying for the face value of goods delivered – in this case, vouchers.The vouchers can currently be spent in a variety of supermarkets. Initially, the scheme includes supermarkets that already have e-gift card arrangements in place with Edenred, including Asda, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Morrisons, M&S and Waitrose. On 21 April, we were pleased to confirm that Aldi will be added to the list of supermarkets from the week commencing 27 April. We are working to see if additional supermarkets can be added to this list as soon as possible. Where families are unable to access any of these supermarkets, schools are able to buy vouchers for other retailers and we have published guidance setting out how we will compensate schools who incur additional costs in providing free school meals or vouchers to pupils affected by COVID-19.

Offences Against Children

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to safeguard children from abuse while schools are closed due to covid-19.

Vicky Ford: Ensuring that vulnerable children remain protected is a top priority for government. We know that, for many vulnerable children, attending an education setting is a protective factor from harm. We have therefore asked schools to remain open for children who are vulnerable, as well as for those children of workers critical to the COVID-19 response. Where a child or young person who has a social worker does not attend school, providers should follow up with the parent or carer – and social worker/local authority, where appropriate – to explore reasons for absence.Our latest guidance on supporting vulnerable children and young people during the coronavirus outbreak can be found at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-vulnerable-children-and-young-people.Local authorities have the key day-to-day responsibility for delivery of children’s social care, and we are working closely with them to ensure stability of services for our most vulnerable children.In addition, through the Coronavirus Act 2020 we have taken powers to bring previously registered social workers onto the register of social workers held by the regulator, Social Work England. Information about this is available at: www.socialworkengland.org.uk/news/social-work-together/.£3.2 billion of additional funding is being provided to support local authorities to address any pressures they are facing in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, including for delivering children’s social care.The government is also making £1.6 million of funding available immediately for the NSPCC to expand and promote its national helpline for adults. Expanding the helpline will mean that many more adults know how and where to raise concerns and seek advice or support about the safety and well-being of any children they are worried about.We have also published safeguarding advice to support schools and colleges to work with local authorities to keep children safe, including online. This advice is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-safeguarding-in-schools-colleges-and-other-providers/coronavirus-covid-19-safeguarding-in-schools-colleges-and-other-providers.

Qualifications: Coronavirus

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when he plans to publish guidance on how (a) functional skills and (b) vocational qualifications will be graded as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.

Gillian Keegan: The department has been working at pace with Ofqual to take the necessary action to deliver assessments for vocational and technical qualifications as a result of the cancellation of exams and assessments in light of the COVID-19 outbreak. On 9 April, Ofqual published its approach to vocational and technical qualifications – this can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/awarding-vocational-and-technical-qualifications-this-summer. As the vocational and technical qualifications landscape is complex, different assessment approaches will be appropriate for different types of qualification. The publication set out the approaches that should be taken. Ofqual launched its consultation on 24 April on the implementation of these measures. The consultation closes on 8 May and can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/exceptional-arrangements-for-assessment-and-grading-in-2020.

Ministry of Justice

Probation: Coronavirus

Alexander Stafford: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that probation services maintain their services during the covid-19 pandemic.

Lucy Frazer: Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service has taken steps to ensure probation services are maintained, focussing resources on public protection, balancing the risks of spreading the virus and the need to protect our staff, offenders and those they come into contact with. During the pandemic probation officers will prioritise resource into supervising in person those who pose the very highest risk. Face-to-face contact will remain for terrorists, offenders without a phone and prison leavers reporting for their initial appointment. Doorstep visits will be the default option for all other high-risk offenders and medium-risk offenders with domestic abuse or other safeguarding issues. This will involve a phone call with the offender visible to their probation officer. Video and voice calls will be used in addition. Lower-risk offenders will now be supervised more frequently via telephone or video messaging. If staff believe it is the right thing to do, offenders can always be recalled to prison.

Prison Accommodation

Alexander Stafford: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent progress his Department has made on increasing prison capacity.

Lucy Frazer: The Prime Minister has committed up to £2.5bn to transform the prison estate by creating 10,000 additional prison places as part of this government’s commitment to crack down on crime. These places will be modern, decent, safe and secure and will support offender rehabilitation. Under our plans for the prison estate, additional capacity will be provided through our new prisons, refurbishments to existing accommodation and the creation of purpose-built houseblocks to manage the projected population increase and transform the estate. This is on top of the c.3,500 places which we have begun at Wellingborough; that we will start building at Glen Parva later this year; and that we opened at HMP Stocken in June 2019. In September 2019 we secured outline planning permission for a 1,440-place prison to be built at Full Sutton, the first prison of the 10,000 additional places, where we have available space next to the existing HMP Full Sutton. We also continue to undertake site searches and feasibility work for locations that could be used for future prison and houseblock construction.

Prisons: Crime

Alexander Stafford: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to reduce levels of crime in prisons.

Lucy Frazer: Tackling crime behind bars remains a key priority for the Government. HMPPS is working closely with the National Police Chief’s Council and the Crown Prosecution Service to ensure crimes in prison are dealt with more effectively. In May 2019, we published a revised Crime in Prisons Referral Agreement which aimed to provide a more consistent approach to managing crimes committed within prison.We are also moving forward with our £100m investment to improve prison security wherever possible given the current climate. This investment includes enhancing gate security in our prisons so we can further target visitors and staff who attempt to convey contraband, such as drugs and mobile phones, into prisons, and investing further in x-ray body scanners for prisoners. The investment will also strengthen staff resilience to corruption and target organised criminals who exploit prisons as a lucrative market.

Prisoners: Coronavirus

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of prisoners who have tested positive for covid-19 to date are (a) male, (b) female and (c) serving sentences under six months.

Lucy Frazer: The Ministry of Justice intends to publish statistics on prisoners who have tested positive for COVID-19 on an ongoing basis during the coming months.

Prison Visitors: Coronavirus

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the outbreak of covid-19, for what length of time his Department plans to delay prison visits.

Lucy Frazer: As of 24 March, prisons in England and Wales are temporarily closed to visitors to enable us to ensure the safe and secure functioning of our prisons, while enforcing social distancing. These measures are part of the nationwide efforts to fight coronavirus and we will review the restrictions in line with updates to public health advice. In recognition of the importance of continued contact with family and to ensure stability in our jails, the Government has moved quickly to keep prisoners in touch with their family members. This includes the provision of 900 locked mobile phones to establishments that do not yet have in-cell telephony.

Coroners: Reviews

Bell Ribeiro-Addy: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the timeframe is for the (a) conclusion and (b) publication of the post-implementation review of the coroner service.

Alex Chalk: The call for evidence and survey elements of the post-implementation review of the 2013 coroner reforms were concluded at the end of 2015. We aim to complete our analysis and publish a report in due course.

Fraud: Coronavirus

Dr Luke Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has plans to increase sentences for people convicted of fraudulent activity that is related to the covid-19 outbreak.

Chris Philp: The Government is committed to ensuring a robust response to those who exploit the covid-19 outbreak through criminal means. Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for our independent courts. Fraud is a serious offence and Parliament, in setting a maximum penalty of 10 years’ custody, has provided the courts with the full range of sentencing powers to deal effectively with offenders. If a victim is particularly vulnerable for any reason (this applies regardless of the Covid context) then the sentencing guidelines do provide an aggravating factor for the victim’s vulnerability. This means a more severe penalty could be imposed than would have been the case absent the aggravating factor (subject always to the maximum penalty for the offence). The Government continues to work alongside the CPS to provide a multi-agency response to criminality associated with covid-19. A joint interim charging protocol has been agreed between the police and CPS which gives the highest priority to custody cases and all covid-19 related cases, including related fraud offences.

Assaults on Police: Coronavirus

Dr Luke Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will take steps to increase sentencing for people found guilty of spitting at police officers during the covid-19 outbreak.

Chris Philp: It is vital that offenders using coronavirus to threaten our emergency workers as they strive to protect us during this pandemic face the full force of the law. Such behaviour is an assault and where this is directed at an emergency worker we have recently doubled the maximum penalty for assault from 6 to 12 months’ imprisonment. We have already seen significant sentences imposed on those using coronavirus as a threat. Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for our independent Courts. On 8 April 2020, the Sentencing Council also published interim guidance for sentencers in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. The interim guidance clarifies that, when sentencing common assault offences involving threats or activity relating to transmission of Covid-19, courts should treat this as an aggravating feature of the offence, meaning a more severe penalty could be imposed than would have been the case absent the aggravating factor (subject always to the maximum penalty for the offence).

Prisoners' Release: Coronavirus

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effect on public safety of the proposed early release of prisoners during the covid-19 outbreak.

Lucy Frazer: Public protection is paramount; only risk-assessed prisoners who are within two months of their release date will be considered for temporary early release from jail.No high-risk offenders, including those convicted of violent or sexual offences, anyone of national security concern or a danger to children, will be considered for release, nor any prisoners who have not served at least half their custodial term. Additionally, no offender convicted of COVID-19 related offences, including coughing at emergency workers or stealing personal protective equipment, will be eligible.Prisoners who pass the stringent criteria for release will be subject to strict conditions, and will be electronically monitored, including with GPS tags, to enforce the requirement to stay at home. Offenders can be immediately recalled to prison for breaching these conditions or committing further offences.No prisoner will be released early if they have symptoms of coronavirus or without housing and health support being in place.

Crimes of Violence: Coronavirus

Tom Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to ensure that the use of coronavirus as a weapon is treated as an aggravating factor in sentencing.

Chris Philp: It is vital that offenders using coronavirus to threaten others during this pandemic face the full force of the law. Such behaviour is an assault and where this is directed at an emergency worker we have recently doubled the maximum penalty for assault from 6 to 12 months’ imprisonment. We have already seen significant sentences imposed on those using coronavirus as a threat. Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for our independent Courts. On 8 April 2020, the Sentencing Council also published interim guidance for sentencers in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. The interim guidance clarifies that, when sentencing common assault offences involving threats or activity relating to transmission of Covid-19, courts should treat this as an aggravating feature of the offence, meaning a more severe penalty could be imposed than would have been the case absent the aggravating factor (subject always to the maximum penalty for the offence).

Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions the UK Government has had with British judges sitting on Hong Kong’s Court of Final Appeal on the potential effect on the rule of law in Hong Kong in the event that the Government of Hong Kong enact national security legislation.

Chris Philp: The UK Government has not held discussions with British judges sitting in Hong Kong’s Court of Final Appeal regarding the potential effect of the rule of law in Hong Kong in the event that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government enacts national security legislation. Any legislation introduced in Hong Kong should be consistent with both the letter and the spirit of the Joint Declaration and the Hong Kong Basic Law.The UK Government upholds the fundamental tenet of judicial independence in all jurisdictions, for judges to be able to apply the law of that jurisdiction in accordance with the principles of the rule of law and without interference from the Executive.

Social Security Benefits: Coronavirus

Kate Osamor: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps Her Majesty’s Courts & Tribunals Service is taking to process social security benefit appeals at the First Tier Tribunal during the covid-19 outbreak.

Alex Chalk: HM Courts & Tribunals Service is working hard to keep our justice system functioning during this unprecedented public health emergency. We are focusing on priority cases, changing working practices and introducing new procedures to minimise risks to the judiciary, staff and all those who use our courts and tribunals. In line with government guidance, face to face hearings in the First-tier Tribunal (Social Security and Child Support) (SSCS) have been replaced with telephone hearings and the use of other remote hearing technology to facilitate as many hearings as possible being held remotely. All parties to the hearings are being contacted directly to confirm new hearing arrangements. In addition to holding remote hearings in all regions, appeals may also be decided by judges sitting alone in chambers, using the evidence before them in the case papers. These changes to Tribunal practice are authorised by Practice Direction of the Senior President of Tribunals (effective 19th March 2020) and amendments to the relevant Tribunal procedure rules:www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2020/416.Pilot Practice Direction: Contingency Arrangement in the First-tier Tribunal and the Upper TribunalPilot Practice Direction: Panel Composition in the First-tier Tribunal and the Upper Tribunal The latest advice and guidance from the government and judiciary in relation to appeals within the Tribunal during the coronavirus pandemic is updated regularly and can be viewed using the following links:www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-courts-and-tribunals-planning-and-preparationwww.judiciary.uk/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-and-guidance/

Courts: Coronavirus

Mr Toby Perkins: What changes are required for the effective operation of courts and tribunals during the covid-19 outbreak.

Chris Philp: Access to justice is an essential part of our lives - and I want to pay tribute to all those involved in keeping the wheels of justice turning - the judges, HMCTS staff, and partners throughout the justice system as well as legal professionals, volunteers and others.Our priorities are to maintain access to justice – in particular for the most urgent cases such as bail applications and urgent family hearings – and to protect the safety of all who work in the courts and tribunals. To do this, we have already made changes in 5 broad areas:Prioritising casesSupporting our staffExpanding use of videoConsolidating courtsCleanlinessDespite the exceptional circumstances, our justice system remained ‘open’ to deal with the most vulnerable in society. In France, for example, courts are closed for all but ‘essential litigation’ and Italy is in full lockdown until 4th May.

Courts: Coronavirus

Bim Afolami: What assessment he has made of the level of compliance with social distancing measures by (a) criminal and (b) civil courts during the covid-19 outbreak.

Chris Philp: Levels of compliance with social distancing by criminal and civil courts are high. HMCTS are following PHE guidance to ensure that our courts and tribunals support proper social distancing measures for everyone who uses and works in them.Working with the judiciary, we have agreed how to prioritise the most urgent cases. For example, in crime we are prioritising cases in custody, in family we are dealing with cases to protect vulnerable children such as Emergency Protection Orders, Interim Care Orders and Issue Resolution Hearings in care proceedings.With the judiciary, we have also moved to hear many more cases remotely by telephone or video wherever possible and appropriate – so that people are able to stay at home.Jury trials are currently paused for a short time to put appropriate arrangements in place to maintain social distancing for jurors.I also want to thank the judiciary for their continued work in courts and tribunals to keep the wheels of justice turning and keeping the public safe during these unprecedented times.

Department for International Trade

Department for International Trade: Official Hospitality

Andrew Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how much her Department spent on other catering and hospitality costs in each of the last three accounting years.

Conor Burns: The Department for International Trade (DIT) has spent the amounts listed below for catering and hospitality in the financial years 2017/2018, 2018/2019 and 2019/2020. This cost includes both the UK and overseas.The breakdown is as follows:Financial Year  AmountApril 2017 - March 2018£118,579.00April 2018 - March 2019£158,236.00April 2019 – March 2020£207,652.07 Total £484,467.07 Staff at the DIT are located across more than one hundred countries and as we prepare to leave the EU, our ministers and DIT staff regularly travel overseas to build relationships with key global trading partners and the Department provides hospitality or diplomatic entertainment on trade issues.This includes through the 14 trade working groups we have set up across 21 countries to advance the UK's trade and investment relationships and scope out the potential for future free trade agreements. The figures include overseas spending.

Import Duties: Public Consultation

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, when her Department plans to publish a response to its consultation entitled The UK Global Tariff, which ended on 5 March 2020; and if she will make a statement.

Conor Burns: To inform the development of the UK Global Tariff, the Government launched a four-week public consultation, beginning on 6 February 2020 and closing on 5 March 2020 at 23:59 GMT. The Government encouraged everyone with an interest to take part and provide their views. The Government is now carefully considering the available evidence, including consultation responses, and HMG will communicate a response, on what is a market sensitive issue, to parliament, stakeholders and the public as soon as possible.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Homelessness: Coronavirus

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to provide (a) support and (b) accommodation for people experiencing homelessness with no recourse to public funds during the covid-19 outbreak.

Luke Hall: The Government is aware of concerns about those with no recourse to public funds experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 crisis.We are ensuring local authorities are supported, with £3.2 million in targeted funding to help support individuals who are sleeping rough off the streets, and an additional £3.2 billion provided to local authorities as part of the wider government response to the COVID-19 pandemic.This funding has been provided to help local authorities to reduce risks to public health and to support individuals on the basis of need.The legal position on those with no recourse to public funds has not been amended.The Government recognises that these are unprecedented times, and expects local authorities to support people who are sleeping rough, and also to minimise unnecessary risks to public health, acting within the law.

Public Health Funerals: Coronavirus

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department has provided to local authorities on ensuring that relatives are able to attend paupers funerals conducted by councils during the covid-19 outbreak.

Mr Simon Clarke: Funerals should continue to be held to allow families and loved ones to say goodbye and respect the wishes, religion and beliefs of the deceased. Guidance for Managing a Funeral during the Coronavirus pandemic was issued by Government on 19 April to ensure the bereaved are treated with sensitivity, dignity and respect.   The guidance permits funerals to take place and for physical attendance of mourners to continue as long as those attending adhere to this guidance, which details how the risk of Coronavirus transmission can be reduced. My Department also wrote to all councils in England on 17 April reiterating the need for the bereaved to have the opportunity to pay their final respects as a fundamental part of the grieving process.

Business Improvement Districts: Coronavirus

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to grant Business Improvement Districts' levy payers 100 percent levy relief during the covid-19 outbreak.

Mr Simon Clarke: The Government is committed to supporting Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and recognises the important role they play in allowing local businesses to work together to shape and improve their high streets and towns, and that they will be even more important in the recovery phase from the current crisis.Through the Coronavirus Act 2020, the Government has also included new measures to support BIDs: we have introduced a delay to BID ballots due to take place between now and 31 December 2020 until March 2021. This will ensure that they are conducted in a safe and effective way.We know that a number of BIDs and local authorities are currently in the process of issuing their bills to BID members, and we would hope that they can come to sensible arrangements on charging given the current circumstances.At present, businesses within a BID will still need to pay into their BID to ensure the BID body can still provide vital support to their local business communities.We are exploring other ways we can support BIDs directly and intend to bring forward further plans very soon. Businesses can also benefit from the substantial package of support announced by the Chancellor.

Local Government Services: Coronavirus

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to support workers that have faced racial, verbal and physical abuse while providing local authority services during the covid-19 outbreak.

Luke Hall: The Government takes hate crime and discrimination of any kind very seriously. We are a tolerant and welcoming multicultural society and we have one of the strongest legal frameworks in the world to report, record and prosecute hate crime. As such, I would encourage anyone who experiences hate crime or any other form of verbal or physical abuse to report it to the police.While MHCLG does not performance manage local government, we do consider the service delivery of authorities as part of our oversight of local government. We continue to assess the risks affecting local government as part of the response to coronavirus. This will allow for us to compile the information needed to identify risks affecting councils and their workers, aiding us in assisting the Local Government Association and across Government to identify those local authorities which may need support.

Retail Trade: Coronavirus

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that all non-essential retail stores are closed in order to (a) encourage consumers to comply with social distancing measures and (b) help protect retail store employees during the covid-19 lockdown.

Mr Simon Clarke: My Department led the preparation of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 which enforces the closure of certain businesses and venues, including many retail premises. This is to minimise the risk of transmission of novel coronavirus by encouraging the public to stay at home wherever possible. Only categories of retail business which provide vital services to the public such as food and groceries, hardware for home repairs, and medicines remain physically open. These closures are enforceable by law. Trading Standards and Environmental Health officers within local authorities have the power to issue prohibition notices to non-compliant stores and potentially issue fixed penalty notices to store owners or managers and begin prosecutions where necessary.The Government remains clear that online retail can continue to operate, supported by the postal and delivery services which enable it. The public are using online retail as well as the stores that do remain open to access the products they need to provide for daily needs, to remain connected and to support upkeep of the home.Where stores do remain open, we strongly advise them to continue to follow specific Public Health England guidelines for customers and employees. To ensure retail workers are protected under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, these measures will be monitored by Health and Safety Executive Officers or Local Environmental Health Officers depending on the premise.The British Retail Consortium has also developed sector specific guidance on social distancing in warehouses and distribution centres aligned with the Public Health England advice that supports safety of employees who are enabling the retail sector to continue.

Private Rented Housing: Reform

Janet Daby: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the timescale is for the introduction of the Renters Reform Bill;  what the Government's plans are for section 21 notices; and what plans he has to increase security for older private renters in that upcoming bill.

Christopher Pincher: As announced in the Queen’s Speech, the Government plans to introduce a package of reforms to deliver a better deal for renters and a fairer and more effective rental market. The Renters’ Reform Bill will enhance renters’ security and improve protections for short-term tenants by abolishing ‘no-fault’ evictions. This will include repealing Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 and represents a generational change in the law that governs private renting.However, at the current time, our collective efforts are focused on protecting people during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. That means supporting our communities as well as making sure measures to help renters and landlords over the next few months are effective.Our recent consultation ‘ A New Deal for Renting: Resetting the balance of rights and responsibilities between landlords and tenants’  sought views from across the private and social rented sectors on how a new system should operate, in order to ensure that we get the details right and create a new framework which works for everyone. We received responses to our consultation which highlighted the experience of a range of people who rent their homes in the private rented sector, including older people. In total, almost 20,000 responses to the consultation were received and these are being carefully considered to help inform the Renters’ Reform Bill. We will respond fully to the consultation in due course.

Council Tax: Coronavirus

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans his Department has to provide financial support to people in the process of selling property that have to pay council tax on two properties during the covid-19 outbreak.

Mr Simon Clarke: Council tax plays a vital role in funding the delivery of essential frontline services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Where councils consider it appropriate, they have the discretion to offer council tax discounts of up to 100% on empty properties in their area. They also have powers to agree alternative payment arrangements with individual taxpayers.

Travellers: Coronavirus

Christian Matheson: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the needs of Travellers during the covid-19 outbreak.

Christopher Pincher: The Government is determined to ensure everyone gets the support they need to look after themselves and their families during the COVID-19 outbreak and are enabled to take the necessary measures to reduce the spread of the virus. We are holding regular discussions with representatives from Gypsy and Traveller communities to understand the issues they are facing, and to understand what guidance and support, including for local authorities, who have a responsibility to look after vulnerable groups. On 11 April, the Communities Minister wrote to local authority Chief Executives to highlight the need to mitigate potential impacts amongst Gypsy and Traveller communities, highlighting that some Gypsies and Travellers may need assistance in accessing basic facilities such as water, sanitation and waste disposal, to enable them to adhere to public health guidelines around self-isolation and social distancing.On 18 April, the Local Government Secretary announced that councils across England will receive a further £1.6 billion to help them to deal with the immediate impacts of coronavirus. This takes the total funding to support councils to respond to the pandemic to over £3.2 billion.The Minister for Rough Sleeping and Housing also wrote to Caravan Site owners and managers on 27 March to confirm that people who live permanently in caravan parks, or are staying in caravan parks while their primary residence is unavailable, may continue to do so.Levels of self-employment are high amongst Gypsy and Traveller communities. The Government recently announced a scheme for those who are self-employed to claim a taxable grant worth 80 per cent of their trading profits up to a maximum of £2500 per month for the next 3 months. This may be extended if needed.

Freehold: Service Charges

Kate Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the Government's timeframe is for bringing forward legislative proposals to give freeholders rights to challenge service charges.

Christopher Pincher: The Government is committed to promoting fairness and transparency for homeowners and ensuring that consumers are protected from abuse and poor service. The Government is advancing a comprehensive programme of reform to end unfair practices and raise standards in the leasehold and freehold markets.Homeowners who pay estate rentcharges currently have limited rights to challenge these costs. The Government intends to legislate to give freeholders on private and mixed tenure estates equivalent rights to leaseholders to challenge the reasonableness of estate rentcharges as well as a right to apply to the First-tier Tribunal to appoint a new manager to manage the provision of services covered by estate rentcharges. We will bring forward legislation as soon as Parliamentary time allows.

Rents: Students

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of providing support for students in rented accommodation through Government subsidies for (a) rent holidays and (b) a freeze on rent payable during the covid-19 outbreak.

Christopher Pincher: We have announced a radical package of measures to protect renters, including students, affected by coronavirus. Students will continue to receive scheduled payments of loans towards their living costs for the remainder of the current, 2019/20, academic year and we understand that most universities maintain hardship funds, which can be accessed where necessary. The Government has also announced unprecedented measures to support workers, including students who are workers under PAYE, during this period by paying up to 80 per cent of their wages.The Department is actively engaging with stakeholders across the student accommodation sector, including private student accommodation providers, to understand the challenges posed by the current crisis and to establish the most effective means of supporting the whole of the sector.The negotiation of early releases from contracts is a matter between the parties concerned. The Government encourages student accommodation providers, landlords, letting agencies and tenants to act flexibly and adopt a common-sense approach to issues that may arise in the current circumstances.

Business: Coronavirus

Jonathan Gullis: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department has taken to support businesses facing challenges as a result of the covid-19 outbreak in (a) Stoke-on-Trent, (b) Kidsgrove, (c) Talke and (d) England.

Mr Simon Clarke: The Government has announced a package of support for businesses to help with their ongoing business costs in recognition of the disruption caused by Covid-19. In particular, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has been working across Government to provide £12.33 billion of grant funding to help small and rural businesses and businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors manage their cashflow through this period. This support will take the form of two grant funding schemes, the Small Business Grant Fund (SBGF) and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF). Small Business Grant Fund (SBGF):All businesses in England in receipt of Small Business Rates Relief (SBRR) and Rural Rates Relief (RRR) in the business rates system will be eligible for a payment of £10,000.This is estimated to apply to around 730,000 businesses across England. Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF):Businesses in England that would have been in receipt of the Expanded Retail Discount (which covers retail, hospitality and leisure) on 11 March with a rateable value of less than £51,000 will be eligible for the following cash grants per property:Eligible businesses in these sectors with a property that has a rateable value of up to and including £15,000 will receive a grant of £10,000.Eligible businesses in these sectors with a property that has a rateable value of over £15,000 and less than £51,000 will receive a grant of £25,000. The allocation for support in the local authorities of Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme and the total for England is listed below:Local AuthorityAllocationNewcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council (Kidsgrove and Talke)£23,876,000Stoke-on-Trent City Council£57,654,000TotalEngland£12.33billion

District Councils: Finance

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what financial support he plans to provide to district councils to compensate for lost revenue from (a) car parking charges, (b) rent, (c) leisure services and (d) council tax due to the covid-19 outbreak.

Mr Simon Clarke: On 18 April the Government announced an additional £1.6 billion of funding to support councils in England to continue to deliver essential front line services, bringing the total amount given to councils to help them through the covid-19 pandemic to over £3.2 billion. The package demonstrates the Government’s commitment to making sure councils, including district councils, have the resources they need to support their communities through this challenging time.We are using data collection and our conversations with councils to refine our assessment of costs and lost income resulting from the pandemic. Allocations to individual local authorities will be announced shortly.

Private Rented Housing: Students

Abena Oppong-Asare: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to work with private student accommodation providers to offer students affected by the covid-19 lockdown measures an early release from their accommodation contract.

Christopher Pincher: The Department is actively engaging with stakeholders across the student accommodation sector, including private student accommodation providers, to understand the challenges posed by the current crisis and to establish the most effective means of supporting the whole of the sector.The negotiation of early releases from contracts is a matter between the parties concerned. The Government encourages student accommodation providers, landlords, letting agencies and tenants to act flexibly and adopt a common-sense approach to issues that may arise in the current circumstances.

Manufacturing Industries: Planning Permission

Alberto Costa: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to support the growth of manufacturing within the National Planning Policy Framework.

Christopher Pincher: The latest 2018 revision of the National Planning Policy Framework provides more detail on how significant weight should be placed on the need to support economic growth and productivity, taking into account both local business needs and wider opportunities for development, this can include the growth of manufacturing where it is relevant. The Government has made clear in the Framework that planning policies and decisions should help create the conditions in which businesses can invest, expand and adapt.

District Councils: Non-domestic Rates

Alberto Costa: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what support his Department is providing to District Councils in respect of the payment of the business rate levy due during the covid-19 outbreak.

Mr Simon Clarke: The Government has deferred the payment of £2.6 billion which billing authorities, including district councils, were due to make over the next three months under the business rates retention scheme. The Government will also be paying authorities £9.57 billion to compensate them for waiving the business rates bills of ratepayers occupying retail, leisure and other premises, in line with the Government's policy in response to Covid-19 of reducing the rates burden on businesses.

Evictions: Coronavirus

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people who have been evicted since the lockdown period began due to the covid-19 outbreak.

Christopher Pincher: The Department does not hold or collect information relating to evictions. The Ministry of Justice publish quarterly statistics on possession claim actions in county courts by mortgage lenders and social and private landlords.We have introduced legislation through the Coronavirus Act 2020 that will protect most tenants in the private and social rented sectors from eviction for a reasonable and specified period of time, in recognition of the unusual circumstances arising from the COVID-19 outbreak. It requires landlords to give three months’ notice of their intention to seek possession to regain properties that are let on a tenancy.In addition to the measures in the Coronavirus Act 2020 set out above, the Master of the Rolls has issued a Practice Direction to stop housing possession claims which are already in the court system or which are issued after the Act came into force from progressing. As a result of these measures, no renter in private or social accommodation needs to be concerned about the threat of eviction during this time.

Charities: Coronavirus

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department has taken to support charity workers in faith organisations during the covid-19 outbreak.

Luke Hall: Faith communities have a long history of service supporting many of the most vulnerable members of our society. The rapid response during the current pandemic has been no different. We value the work being done to support those in need.Charities can access many of the support measures the Chancellor has announced for businesses, including deferring their VAT bills, paying no business rates on charity shops next year, and furloughing staff with the Government paying 80 per cent of their wages. Further details can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/financial-support-for-businesses-during-coronavirus-covid-19However, we know that some charities cannot furlough staff as they are contributing to the frontline response. That is why the Chancellor on 9 April announced £750 million of funding for charities providing key frontline services to vulnerable people affected by the pandemic. Further details can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/chancellor-sets-out-extra-750-million-coronavirus-funding-for-frontline-charitiesWe will continue to engage with the voluntary and community sector and faith organisations to understand how we can support them to respond to the pressures they may be facing.

Charities: Coronavirus

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to support Mosques with charity work during the month of Ramadan during the covid-19 outbreak.

Luke Hall: British Muslims, like many faith communities across the country, have responded during the COVID 19 pandemic to support their neighbours, communities and the most vulnerable. We welcome the Muslim community’s continued contributions to our shared national effort and know this will take on a special meaning during Ramadan.The coronavirus pandemic has, however, challenged many parts of our daily life and means that Muslims in the UK and around the world will not be able to mark Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr in the way they would normally do and are instead finding ways to do this virtually, including charitable work, such as fundraising, that would have otherwise been done in person.Charities can access many of the support measures the Chancellor has announced for businesses, including deferring their VAT bills, paying no business rates on charity shops next year, and furloughing staff with the Government paying 80 per cent of their wages. Further details can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/financial-support-for-businesses-during-coronavirus-covid-19However, we know that some charities cannot furlough staff as they are contributing to the frontline response. That is why the Chancellor on 9 April announced £750 million of funding for charities providing key frontline services to vulnerable people affected by the pandemic. Further details can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/chancellor-sets-out-extra-750-million-coronavirus-funding-for-frontline-charitiesThe Government continues to engage with a range of faith groups, including Muslim community representatives, to maintain a complete picture of the impact of coronavirus and understand how we can support them to respond to the pressures they may be facing.

Trees

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether tree watering by councils should be considered an essential service during the covid-19.

Mr Simon Clarke: We recognise the importance of green spaces and trees during these unprecedented times, particularly for people’s physical and mental wellbeing.   We would encourage local authorities to ensure that trees on council land are maintained, including watering where appropriate. However, we do of course recognise the pressures on local authorities at the current time and it is at their discretion to prioritise local resources as they see fit, whilst ensuring employees are able to follow Public Health England guidelines. ( https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/guidance-for-employers-and-businesses-on-coronavirus-covid-19 )

Planning Permission: Coronavirus

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he plans to take to ensure that planning decisions are not made during the covid-19 lockdown in the event that residents are prevented from engagement in the planning process as a result of social distancing rules.

Dr Luke Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the guidance on social distancing published by Public Health England and the covid-19 outbreak, what assessment he has made of the feasibility of proceeding with large scale planning applications that require public consultations and meetings to be held.

Dr Luke Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that people who may not have access to the internet are able to take part in the consultation process for large scale planning applications.

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure effective public engagement with the planning process during the social distancing rules in place in response to the covid-19 outbreak.

Christopher Pincher: The Government has made clear that local planning authorities should continue to prioritise decision-making during these challenging times to ensure that the planning system continues to function, especially when this when this will support the local economy.Local planning authorities are still required to undertake a formal period of public consultation of no less than 21 days, prior to deciding a planning application.Effective consultation allows local planning authorities to identify and consider all relevant planning issues associated with a proposed development. Where relevant considerations are raised by local residents, these must be taken into account by the local authority.Most planning applications are determined by planning officers through a local authority’s scheme of delegation. Where decisions need to be made by committee, we have introduced legislation that allow council planning committee meetings to be held virtually.Local planning authorities should take an innovative approach, using all options available to them including their use of technology and electronic communication, to ensure that planning decisions are made and sufficient public participation in the planning process is maintained. The Government is working with the Planning Advisory Service to publish further advice on ways this can be achieved.

*No heading*

Daniel Zeichner: What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of joint working between councils in two-tier local authority areas.

Luke Hall: In a two-tier area, effective joint working between county and district councils is essential, especially at this time of national emergency.However, the Government recognises that unitary councils can facilitate more integrated decision-making, better service delivery, greater local accountability and empowered local communities.

*No heading*

Tom Hunt: What steps his Department is taking to help renters affected by the covid-19 outbreak.

Christopher Pincher: This Government has put in place an unprecedented package to support renters during this time. Legislation to increase eviction notice periods, coupled with the Court Service’s suspension of proceedings, mean no renter currently faces the threat of eviction.We have strengthened the welfare safety-net to help households experiencing financial hardship.

*No heading*

Dame Cheryl Gillan: What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the effect of the delay to local elections in Buckinghamshire on regional democratic representation.

Luke Hall: The Government has announced the postponement of the 2020 local elections across the country, including in Buckinghamshire. The elections will be held next year and in the meantime the council will continue to serve the interests of its electors.

Foreign Nationals: Homelessness

Gavin Newlands: What plans he has to provide (a) support and (b) accommodation for overseas nationals experiencing homelessness with no recourse to public funds during the covid-19 outbreak.

Hannah Bardell: What plans he has to provide (a) support and (b) accommodation for overseas nationals experiencing homelessness with no recourse to public funds during the covid-19 outbreak.

Luke Hall: We have provided over £3.2 billion of new funding to help local authorities to reduce risks to public health and to support individuals on the basis of need. This includes those sleeping rough.The Government recognises that these are unprecedented times and expects local authorities to support people who are sleeping rough, and also to minimise unnecessary risks to public health, acting within the law.

Landlords: Coronavirus

Sarah Olney: If he will take steps to encourage landlords to (a) defer rental payments and (b) not approach guarantors for late rental payments during the covid-19 outbreak.

Luke Hall: The Government, along with the courts service, has delivered unprecedented support to reduce the risk of rent arrears and has taken legislative and procedural steps to protect tenants.We have been clear that there is a need for landlords to offer support and understanding to tenants – and any guarantor – who may see their income fluctuate.

*No heading*

Dr James Davies: What steps his Department is taking to support Local Resilience Forums in managing local responses to the covid-19 outbreak.

Christopher Pincher: All Local Resilience Forums (LRFs) have a dedicated Government Liaison Officer from MHCLG, who provides a direct line of contact into central government. LRFs are further supported by senior MHCLG leaders and experts in local engagement and response. Ministers talk to LRF leads regularly to discuss issues and how we can better support them.MHCLG have also supported the embedding of four highly experienced military planners into each LRF, who are providing on-the-ground support. I would like to take this opportunity to particularly thank the North Wales Local Resilience Forum, and, as I know my Honourable Friend is a medical practitioner himself, the whole NHS for their tireless and determined work at this most difficult time.

Ministry of Defence

VE Day: Anniversaries

Jonathan Gullis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to commemorate VE Day.

Johnny Mercer: The Ministry of Defence will be supporting the Government plans to mark the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day to ensure that our nation's veterans are appropriately commemorated. An announcement will be made in due course.

Army: Coronavirus

Dr Luke Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the number of troops that can be deployed to support key services during the covid-19 outbreak.

James Heappey: Defence is dedicated to supporting the Government's COVID-19 response, primarily through support to other Government Departments, principally the Departtment for Health and Social Care and the NHS. Currently 19,069 personnel are available for COVID tasking. Of these, 2,848 members of the Armed Forces are currently deployed to assist Civil Authorities with the response, currently working on 73 Military Aid to the Civil Authorities (MACA) activities, with a further 30 MACA tasks completed (as of 21 April).

Scottish Government: Coronavirus

John Lamont: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has offered assistance to the Scottish Government to help tackle the covid-19 outbreak.

James Heappey: Defence is committed to supporting the entirety of the United Kingdom in the battle against COVID-19. Military personnel are active in each of the devolved nations and on standby to meet further requests from their Civil Authorities. Military planners are either already supporting or available to support each of the Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive.For instance, helicopters detached to Kinloss barracks are providing support as part of the Covid Support Force to conduct medical evacuations from remote areas and distribution tasks.

Department for Work and Pensions

Universal Credit: Complaints

Chris Stephens: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many cases involving universal credit claims have been (a) through her Department's complaints process, (b) decided by an Independent Case Examiner and (c) referred to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.

Mims Davies: Holding answer received on 02 March 2020



The Department has received a total of number of 39,187 Universal Credit complaints up to January 2020. Details of the number of complaints concerning Universal Credit that have been decided on by the Independence Case Examiner’s is 185 (please note the data is only available from July 2016 to January 2020) All ICE Reports signpost the complainant to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s Office, via a Member of Parliament, in the event that they are dissatisfied with the outcome of the ICE investigation. We do not hold information about the number of complaints about Universal Credit which were subsequently referred by an MP to the Ombudsman’s Office. For context, the latest figures show that there are 3 million people on Universal Credit as of 12 March 2020.

Personal Income: Coronavirus

Angela Crawley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of the proposal from Citizens Advice to establish a Crisis Minimum Income of £180 per week for people affected by the covid-19 outbreak.

Will Quince: Holding answer received on 31 March 2020



There are no plans to introduce a crisis minimum income at this time. The Government has been clear in its commitment to support those affected in these difficult times and we have made a number of changes to the welfare system to ensure people are receiving the support they need. These changes include: making it easier to access benefits. Those applying for Contributory ESA will be able to claim from day 1 – as opposed to day 8 - and we have removed the need for face-to-face assessment. Both Universal Credit and Contributory ESA can now be claimed by phone or online;increasing the standard rate of Universal Credit and working tax credit for this year by around £1000 per year;temporarily relaxing the application of the Minimum Income Floor (MIF) for all self-employed claimants affected by the economic impact of COVID-19 to ensure that the self-employed can access UC at a more generous rate;making Statutory Sick Pay available from day 1 – as opposed to day 4 - where an eligible individual is sick or self-isolating; andincreasing the Local Housing Allowance rates for Universal Credit and Housing Benefit claimants so that it covers at least 30% of the market rents in an area – which is on average £600 in people’s pockets. Taken together, these measures represent an injection of over £6.5 billion into the welfare system and, along with other job and business support programmes announced by the Chancellor, represent one of the most comprehensive packages of support introduced by an advanced economy in response to the covid-19 outbreak.

Universal Credit

Mhairi Black: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has plans to make people that are self-employed and have pension savings exempt from the rules on capital when applying for universal credit.

Mims Davies: Regardless of employment status, any funds held in an occupational or personal pension scheme are disregarded as capital in Universal Credit until the claimant reaches the pension age of the scheme, or withdraws funds from the scheme early.

Universal Credit

Dr Lisa Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of upfront childcare costs under the childcare element of universal credit on maternal employment rates.

Will Quince: The Department has not made an assessment of the effect of upfront childcare costs on maternal employment rates and it would require disproportionate costs to do so. The Government recognises that high childcare costs can affect parents’ decisions to take up paid work or increase their working hours. Working families claiming Universal Credit can therefore reclaim up to 85 per cent of their eligible childcare costs each month up to £646.35 for one child and £1,108.04 for two or more children. Eligible claimants can also get help from the Flexible Support Fund with initial up-front fees and advance costs as they move into work. Alternatively, help with upfront costs may also be available through Budgeting Advances.

Flexible Support Fund

Dr Lisa Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people received support for upfront childcare costs under the Flexible Support Fund in the latest period for which figures are available; and what proportion of that Fund was used for childcare in that period.

Mims Davies: The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Department for Work and Pensions: Remote Working

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff of her Department have formal arrangements to work from home during the covid-19 outbreak.

Mims Davies: Working from home data is not recorded on our HR systems. However, the number of staff logging into the Department’s computer system via a secure remote connection shows that approximately 20% of staff were working from home. We have now provided an additional 6656 computers to enable working from home; we will deploy a further 6,000 in the next fortnight.

Social Security Benefits: Coronavirus

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to re-deploy staff of her Department to assist with processing new applications for social security benefits during the covid-19 outbreak.

Mims Davies: Our priority as a Department is ensuring people get their benefit payments and that we can continue to support those who need us the most. We are re-deploying over 10,000 staff to critical frontline services as well as recruiting additional staff to support this priority.

Burial: Costs

Stuart Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has plans to provide financial support for burial costs to people in financial hardship with relatives who have died as a result of covid-19.

Alberto Costa: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what financial support her Department is providing to low-income families to help towards the cost of funerals during the covid-19 outbreak.

Mims Davies: The Government provides support to bereaved families in a number of ways. The Funeral Expenses Payments scheme provides a significant contribution towards the cost of a simple, respectful funeral arranged by recipients of certain income based benefits or tax credits. The scheme pays necessary burial and cremation costs in full, as defined by legislation, plus up to £1000 for other expenses such as the cost of a coffin, church and funeral director fees, which was increased from £700 on 8 April. Scotland has a similar scheme, the Funeral Support Payment scheme. Support for funeral costs for all young people under 18 is provided by the Children’s Funeral Fund for England, with similar schemes in Scotland and Wales. Interest-free Social Fund Budgeting Loans and Universal Credit Budgeting Advances can also be used for funeral expenses. Further financial support is available through Bereavement Support Payments which help working age people whose spouse or civil partner dies.

Statutory Sick Pay: Coronavirus

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the covid-19 outbreak, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that (a) temporary workers, (b) people on zero and low hours contracts and (b) people that are self-employed may claim Statutory Sick Pay.

Justin Tomlinson: Gig workers or those on zero-hours contracts may be entitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) if they meet all eligibility criteria. However, SSP is just one part of our welfare safety net and our wider government offer of support. Many of those earning below £120 per week, who are not eligible for SSP, are already in receipt of benefits. For those on Universal Credit, their award will rise if their income falls.Those who are not already in receipt of benefits may claim Universal Credit and/or new style Employment and Support Allowance, depending on their individual circumstances. Self-employed people unable to work because they are directly affected by COVID-19 or who are self-isolating will also be eligible for Contributory Employment and Support Allowance which is now payable from the first day of sickness, rather than the eighth.

Social Security Benefits: Coronavirus

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to provide financial support for low-income households affected by the covid-19 outbreak; and whether her Department has plans to suspend the use of benefit sanctions during that period.

Mims Davies: The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Social Security Benefits: Coronavirus

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to Public Health England's guidance on social distancing and self-isolation, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of financial support for people with no recourse to public funds to enable them to follow that guidance.

Justin Tomlinson: Access to DWP income-related benefits such as Universal Credit flows from an individual’s immigration status. The Home Office determine whether persons granted leave to enter or remain in the UK are eligible to access public funds.Those unable to access DWP income-related benefits, such as Universal Credit, may be eligible to access DWP contributions-based benefits, providing they meet eligibility criteria.Government measures to support workers and their families through Covid-19 are also available for those who meet the eligibility criteria. These include the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the Self-employed Income Support Scheme and Statutory Sick Pay.

Employment and Support Allowance: Coronavirus

Mhairi Black: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has to increase Employment and Support Allowance during the covid-19 outbreak.

Justin Tomlinson: We currently have no plans to increase Employment and Support Allowance above its current rates.We have announced a suite of measures that can be quickly and effectively operationalised to benefit those facing the most financial disruption, such as increasing the standard rate in Universal Credit by £86.67 per month (equivalent to £20 per week) on top of the planned annual uprating. This additional increase means claimants will be up to £1040 better off. We estimate 2.5m households on UC will benefit straight away, as well as new claimants who become unemployed or whose earnings or work hours decrease because of the outbreak. The Universal Credit IT system is significantly more flexible than our legacy systems and uses different technology from other DWP systems. The Department is experiencing significant increased demand and the Government has to prioritise the safety and stability of the benefits system overall.We have also made a number of changes to legacy benefits like Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, including increases in entitlement. These new measures include: Providing more support for benefit claimants in the Private Rented Sector by increasing Local Housing Allowance rates to the 30th percentile, helping to alleviate affordability challenges. Those receiving Housing Benefit and legacy benefits will benefit from this increase. Treating all ESA claimants who satisfy the conditions of entitlement and are suffering from COVID-19 or who are required to self-isolate in line with government guidance, including vulnerable individuals who have been advised by the NHS to ‘shield’ (stay at home for at least 12 weeks) because they are at high risk of severe illness, as having limited capability for work, without the requirement to undergo a Work Capability Assessment, Removing waiting days for ESA, so it will be payable from day one of the claim, subject to the claimant satisfying the normal conditions of entitlement; and, Allowing disabled and sick claimants who cannot attend a reassessment for Personal Independence Payments, Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit to continue to receive their payments while their assessment is rearranged.

Universal Credit: Stoke On Trent

Jonathan Gullis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the ability of claimants in (a) Stoke-on-Trent, (b) Kidsgrove and (c) Talke to access universal credit online.

Will Quince: The Department has taken a ‘digital-first’ approach to providing and delivering services, ensuring we make best use of technology to deliver a modern and effective working-age welfare system. This allows our staff to concentrate on those people who require additional support through different channels. Our Universal Credit Claimant Survey, found that 98 per cent of claimants have internet access and did claim online, and the majority of those said they found the claim process overall to be straightforward and this can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-full-service-claimant-survey For those that are still unable to access or use digital services, or are not able to travel, assistance to make and maintain their claim is available via the Freephone Universal Credit helpline – which is clearly displayed on GOV.UK. In addition, Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland have been delivering the ‘Help to Claim’ service since April 2019. The Citizens Advice ‘Help to Claim’ service offers tailored, practical support to help people make a Universal Credit claim up to receiving their first full correct payment on time, and is currently available online and by telephone. Although the Department offers comprehensive support for claimants to use our digital service, there will be occasions when people are unable to make their claim online, so telephone applications can be accepted. In these instances, information normally available through a claimant’s online account will be communicated in an alternative format, which is best suited to an individual’s circumstances.

Universal Credit: Coronavirus

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what additional resources her Department is allocating to ensure the timely processing of new claims for universal credit during the covid-19 outbreak.

Will Quince: The Department is doing all we can to deal with exceptional levels of demand. Our priority is ensuring people get their benefit payments and that we can continue to support those who need them most. The Department has mobilised robust business continuity plans to ensure we can do just that. We are already redeploying 10,000 staff from other parts of DWP and are also recruiting additional staff to assist with the processing of claims, including support from other government departments and the private sector. We have also introduced new processes to ease pressure on waiting times for identity verification over the phone and other processes. People making new claims for Universal Credit no longer need to call the Department as part of the process. Once they have completed their online application we will call them if we need to check any of the information they have given us The Universal Credit system is facing extraordinary pressures exerted by the unprecedented volume of new claims, but it is standing up to this challenge. The agility of the system means that capacity can be built rapidly and this has enabled it to cope in the face of demand which would have overwhelmed the complex legacy benefit regime.

Small Businesses: Government Assistance

Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how financial support provided to small businesses through the Small Business Grant Scheme will be classified for the purposes of applications for universal credit made by the owners of those businesses.

Mims Davies: The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Universal Credit

Dr Lisa Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many couples had a claimant who was receiving a carer element as part of universal credit between (a) May and August 2019 and (b) September  and December 2019.

Justin Tomlinson: The available information on the number of households with a carer entitlement on Universal Credit is published and can be found at:https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html

Universal Credit

Mr Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what formula her Department uses to calculate universal credit payments for couples; and whether she has plans to review that formula.

Will Quince: The rate of standard allowance in universal credit for single claimants and couples is set each year by the government after a review of the level of benefit that a claimant may receive. The rates for universal credit were originally based on the corresponding rates within Income Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance. The standard rate in Universal Credit has been temporarily increased for the 20/21 tax year by £86.67 per month (equivalent to £20 per week) on top of the planned annual uprating. This additional increase means claimants will be up to £1040 better off.

Universal Credit

David Linden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when her Department plans to review the wording of system-generated letters to universal credit claimants.

Will Quince: The Department has recently experienced a large increase in Universal Credit claims as a result of COVID-19 outbreak and our priority is to ensure benefit payments are made on time to provide financial support.We recognise our claimants have a diverse range of circumstances and requirements, so our system-generated letters are designed to be clear and easy to understand. They can be supplied in alternative formats, such as large print or Braille, which are best suited to an individual's circumstances where required. Contact details are provided in each letter issued, allowing questions and/or queries to be directed to the right team or person within the Department. This is in addition to the online messaging function within the Universal Credit journal.The Department maintains a range of standardised Universal Credit letters to ensure claimants notifications are consistently and efficiently delivered. We regularly review our communication products and are always seeking to improve how we engage with our claimants.

Universal Credit

Kate Osamor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many universal credit claims were closed after first payment as a result of a claimant not meeting their claimant commitment having been awarded limited capability for work and work-related activity in 2019.

Justin Tomlinson: The information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Universal Credit: EU Nationals

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many EU citizens holding (a) settled status and (b) pre-settled status have had their applications for universal credfit refused since 1 March 2020.

Justin Tomlinson: The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

State Retirement Pensions: Females

Kirsten Oswald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the advertising campaigns notifying women affected by changes to the age of eligibility for the state pension.

Guy Opperman: Communications around the changes to State Pension age have been clear and comprehensive. Since 1995, people have been notified with leaflets, an extensive advertising campaign and individual letters. During 2012-13, the Department wrote to individuals directly affected by the 2011 Act, informing them of the change to their State Pension age (5.7 million letters sent). Between April 2000 and the end of January 2020, the Department provided more than 33 million personalised State Pension statements to people who requested them (either online or by telephone or post; and based on both old and new State Pension rules). We continue to encourage people to request an estimate, as part of their long-term financial planning. The workplace pension campaign continues to drive the positive benefits of saving into a workplace pension, maintaining awareness and understanding, whilst the Retirement Provision campaign encourages people to go and check their state pension forecast online to better understand their retirement provision.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Supermarkets: Coronavirus

Alexander Stafford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) key workers and (b) vulnerable people who are self-isolating are given priority access to supermarket delivery slots online during the covid-19 outbreak.

Victoria Prentis: The Government has put in place measures to ensure that those identified by the NHS as being extremely clinically vulnerable and who are without a support network of friends and family receive basic food and essential supplies. We have passed the data of these individuals (in line with data protection regulations) to supermarkets, who are placing these customers at the front of the queue for online delivery slots. Currently, customers must be registered with a supermarket to be prioritised in this way, but we are working with supermarkets to agree a process to allocate customers who are not registered for support.We are working quickly to support people who do not fall into the category of being clinically vulnerable, but still need help getting essential food supplies. We are working with industry, charities, other Government departments and Devolved Administrations to ensure whatever support is needed is delivered in a coordinated and consistent manner. We welcome measures that supermarkets have put in place to support the elderly and other vulnerable groups, including prioritising them for online delivery slots.Many people are already being well supported by their friends, families, neighbours and local communities. We are working with retailers and the voluntary sector to ensure that people are supported to shop for others safely.Most supermarkets offer protected in-store shopping hours for key workers, including NHS staff and care workers, the elderly and other vulnerable groups.

Floods: West Lancashire

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to respond to the letter from West Lancashire Borough Council sent on 11 March 2019 on flooding in West Lancashire.

Rebecca Pow: I can confirm that Defra received the letter from West Lancashire Borough Council on 15 March 2019. A response was not issued due to administrative error. A reply is now being drafted and will be sent to the council in due course.

Food: Coronavirus

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to ensure that Government advice on Public Health England’s healthy eating EATWELL plate informs (a) food purchasing during the covid-19 outbreak (b) food supply chains.

Victoria Prentis: In the United Kingdom, the national food model, the Eatwell Guide (EG), provides a visual representation of Government recommendations on a healthy balanced diet. The EG and associated messaging is promoted through a range of existing channels including: the NHS.UK website, the GOV.UK website, and the Government’s national social marketing campaigns Change4Life and OneYou. The principles of the guide also underpin Government guidance and tools including the Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering Services and Public Health England’s catering guidance. The food industry has been working hard to keep food including fresh produce flowing into stores and people’s houses. The Government has well-established ways of working with the food industry during disruption to supply situations. We have regular engagement with industry who are continuing to monitor the situation closely, taking the necessary steps to address issues where they arise. Following a significant spike in consumer demand, we have now seen stock levels in supermarkets improve. To support the food sector, the Government temporarily relaxed competition law and regulations relating to driver hours and delivery times so that the sector could work together to keep putting food on the shelves.

Food: Coronavirus

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with representatives of (a) civil society organisations, (b) consumer groups, (c) public health organisations and (d) local authorities on ensuring people on low incomes have adequate access to nutritionally healthy food during the covid-19 outbreak.

Victoria Prentis: Defra officials are working closely with a) frontline food charities such as the Trussell Trust and FareShare; charities supporting the vulnerable such as Age UK and disabled charities; b) Citizen’s Advice Bureau; c) NHS England, Alzheimer’s Society and Kidney Care UK and d) Local Authorities and the Local Government Association; Local Resilience Forums made up of representatives from local public services, including the emergency services, local authorities, the NHS, and the Environment Agency. We are also engaging with supermarkets and with distribution companies such as Brakes and Bidfoods. We are remaining in regular contact with our stakeholders to identify the issues faced by people on low incomes in accessing nutritionally healthy food during the COVID-19 crisis, and to build intelligence in order to better inform the design of the scheme. Our regular stakeholder Forum totals 111 individuals from 62 voluntary and community sector organisations, universities and local authorities, plus representatives from DCMS, Defra, DfE, DHSC, DWP, MHCLG and the NHS. The Secretary of State and Minister Victoria Prentis have personally engaged with the Trussell Trust. In addition, Minister Prentis has met with FareShare.

Food: Coronavirus

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to issue nutrition advice to people during the lockdown period of the covid-19 outbreak.

Victoria Prentis: The Department of Health and Social Care is the Government department responsible for nutrition policy and Public Health England is responsible for issuing nutritional advice to the public. The Government has reissued advice for vitamin D supplementation. That is, if you are not going outdoors often, you should consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D. Therefore, we are recommending that while the stay at home measures are in place, everyone follows this advice (including children, pregnant and breastfeeding women and older people). The Government continues to advise that during this time everyone follows a healthy, balanced diet in line with the national food model, the Eatwell Guide. Public Health England has updated channels such as Change4Life, Start4Life and One You, to make them consistent with the wider COVID-19 and general advice on healthier eating.

Food: Coronavirus

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to encourage healthy eating among (a) children previously in receipt of free school meals and (b) other at-risk groups.

Victoria Prentis: In partnership with industry, the Government started to deliver shielding packages in late March, to those that are clinically extremely vulnerable and in need of essential supplies. Defra has worked with nutritionists to ensure that these packages are nutritious. Supermarkets are also prioritising online delivery slots for those that are most in need and have expanded their capacity for home deliveries. We are also working to support people who do not fall into the category of being clinically extremely vulnerable, but still need help getting essential food supplies. This includes those who are elderly, disabled or have health conditions that make it difficult for them to get the food they need. We are speaking to food retailers, delivery organisations and volunteer groups to help prioritise those individuals to access essential food. A very large number of schools have signed up for the national Free School Meals (FSM) voucher scheme. Through this scheme, schools can ensure that families with FSM-eligible children receive a weekly shopping voucher to the value of £15 per eligible child. Maintaining consumer choice is part of our offer. Families can use the vouchers to purchase healthy food options.

Fisheries: Coronavirus

Ruth Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government plans to provide support for owners with mortgages on fishing boats in (a) Wales, (b) Scotland, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) England during the covid-19 outbreak.

Victoria Prentis: Mortgage lenders have agreed to support customers experiencing personal financial difficulties as a result of Coronavirus (Covid-19), including through payment holidays, among other options. Vessel owners across the UK can contact their lender directly to discuss whether a mortgage payment holiday or other arrangement would be suitable for their particular situation.Fisheries management is a devolved matter and each Devolved Authority is responsible for determining and delivering appropriate financial interventions in their region. Each of the Devolved Administrations has now announced financial schemes to assist vessel owners meet their fixed costs. The appropriate authority should be contacted for further information on the financial assistance available in their area.In England, a £10 million fund has been created to help the fishing industry during this period. Of this fund, £9 million in grants will be available to vessel owners and aquaculture businesses to help them meet the fixed-costs of maintaining their business. This includes interest on loans and mortgages, but not the capital cost of the loan itself.In England, the level of financial assistance to vessel owners will be determined by the vessel length. The Marine Management Organisation has begun the process of contacting eligible owners. Further details of the scheme may be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-announces-financial-support-for-englands-fishing-businesses.

Fisheries: Coronavirus

Ruth Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans the Government has to provide support for fishers facing difficulties paying their boat mortgages in (a) Wales, (b) Scotland, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) Engand during the covid-19 outbreak.

Victoria Prentis: Mortgage lenders have agreed to support customers experiencing personal financial difficulties as a result of Coronavirus (Covid-19), including through payment holidays, among other options. Vessel owners across the UK can contact their lender directly to discuss whether a mortgage payment holiday or other arrangement would be suitable for their particular situation.Fisheries management is a devolved matter and each Devolved Authority is responsible for determining and delivering appropriate financial interventions in their region. Each of the Devolved Administrations has now announced financial schemes to assist vessel owners meet their fixed costs. The appropriate authority should be contacted for further information on the financial assistance available in their area.In England, a £10 million fund has been created to help the fishing industry during this period. Of this fund, £9 million in grants will be available to vessel owners and aquaculture businesses to help them meet the fixed-costs of maintaining their business. This includes interest on loans and mortgages, but not the capital cost of the loan itself.In England, the level of financial assistance to vessel owners will be determined by the vessel length. The Marine Management Organisation has begun the process of contacting eligible owners. Further details of the scheme may be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-announces-financial-support-for-englands-fishing-businesses.

Horticulture: Coronavirus

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that garden centres are able to sell their plants that will otherwise go to waste during the covid-19 outbreak.

Victoria Prentis: The Government is keeping the situation on garden centres under review but concluded last week that it was too early to ease any restrictions on retail environments. Online sales have been able to continue subject to the same import requirements as other imports, and the plant health inspectorate conducts regular checks on this pathway. We will continue to work closely with the representatives from the horticulture supply chain to understand what short-term and long-term support the sector needs and how we might be able to support them.

Horticulture: Coronavirus

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to provide support to garden centres and plant nurseries during the covid-19 outbreak.

Victoria Prentis: The Government is aware of the challenges currently faced by garden centres and plant nurseries. The Government is keeping the situation on garden centres under review, but concluded last week that it was too early to ease any restrictions on such retail environments. We will continue to work closely with the representatives from the horticulture supply chain to understand what short-term and long-term support the sector as a whole needs. We are ready to work with the industry to respond to emerging issues quickly and effectively. On 17 March the Chancellor announced an unprecedented package of government support for businesses and the economy. As part of this, ornamental horticulture businesses are able to access the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme.

Waste Disposal: Coronavirus

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to provide support for the private waste collection sector to help ensure the safe disposal of waste from key sectors during the covid-19 outbreak.

Rebecca Pow: The Government is continuing to work closely with the waste industry to understand the impact on the sector of COVID-19 and to provide the necessary and appropriate support. The Chancellor has already announced unprecedented support for businesses in general including a Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, deferral of VAT payments for firms until the end of June and £330 billion of Government-backed and guaranteed loans, including a Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme. Defra has been working with the waste industry to develop an online platform to facilitate the sharing of resources between local authorities and commercial operators. The platform, Waste Support, was launched on 16 April. In addition, the Environment Agency is taking a proportionate approach to regulation and has published a number of COVID-19 Regulatory Position Statements to address specific concerns around compliance with permit conditions, for instance on exceeding waste storage limits at permitted sites. These can be found at:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/covid-19-regulatory-position-statements

Supermarkets: Coronavirus

Kirsten Oswald: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions the Government has had with the Competitions and Markets Authority on supermarket pricing levels during the covid-19 outbreak.

Victoria Prentis: The UK has a highly resilient food supply chain and representatives of our leading supermarkets are working to ensure people have the food and products they need. Retailers will work hard to mitigate any disruption to their supply chain that could impact on their costs, to keep customer prices down as far as possible. The Business Secretary met the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), business, trade and consumer organisations on Thursday 9 April to discuss ways in which profiteering could be tackled. The Prime Minister has been clear the Government will look at further action, including legislation if necessary, to address any significant issues. We have not seen any evidence that profiteering on food is a significant or widespread issue across the UK at present. We are in regular communication with all major retailers, who have been responsible, committed and co-operative in their response to Covid-19. We are aware, however, of concerns that a small minority of businesses are exploiting consumers through harmful sales and pricing practices, and the CMA has created a COVID-19 taskforce to address such issues. They have already approached traders and trade associations on this matter.

Agriculture: Coronavirus

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to ensure that the seasonal demand for fruit pickers will be met during the covid-19 outbreak; and what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on how those positions can be filled.

Victoria Prentis: The ongoing impacts of the Coronavirus outbreak have meant that there will be a shortfall in the numbers of workers who usually travel to the UK from Europe to work during the harvest season, with the demand for workers peaking from late May through the summer.Farming leaders have already kick-started a recruitment drive for work on farms, with thousands of British people already expressing an interest in picking up seasonal agricultural work over the coming weeks and months. With many British workers furloughed from their jobs, and students having to put their summer plans on hold, the Government is supporting industry efforts to help farmers bring in this year’s harvest, working to build on these numbers.The majority of roles for the early part of the harvest season have already been filled. We are closely monitoring the situation and we will shortly be launching a public- facing campaign to highlight the roles available from late May onwards and to encourage people to apply. The Government has confirmed that those who have been furloughed from their jobs due to coronavirus, and who are contractually allowed to work for another employer, can take on this seasonal work.A new Government-industry digital hub for seasonal work information and job opportunities has been launched to provide guidance on getting into farm work and links to the available jobs and recruiters. The website can be found at pickforbritain.org.uk and will be updated regularly over the coming weeks to help match jobs to workers as the demand grows.

Dairy Farming: Coronavirus

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what support he is providing to farmers to compensate for the loss of milk sales as a result of the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make a statement.

Alberto Costa: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support dairy farmers facing difficulties as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.

Victoria Prentis: Defra is working closely with the dairy industry to manage the impact of Covid-19. Though demand for milk and some dairy products has increased in supermarkets, farmers supplying milk to processors that sell into the food service sector have seen a significant reduction in demand. Between 5 and 10% of total milk production goes to the service trade and there is therefore a small proportion of milk production that currently has no home. The vast majority of Britain’s dairy farmers continue to supply their contracts at the usual price. In order to support affected farmers, we have eased some elements of competition law to make it easier for processors to come together to maximise production, processing and storage efficiency and ensure as much product as possible can be processed into high quality dairy products. We have asked the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (which supports the interests of dairy farmers) and Dairy UK (which represents the processors) to work with farmers and processors to ensure that the industry can benefit from these easements. We stand ready to support them throughout this pandemic. This approach will allow the market for milk to adjust to the change in demand for milk while allowing production to be restored when shops, restaurants and pubs are able to open again. The Government took a number of early emergency steps to support dairy farmers and the wider sector. These included designating employees in the food sector as key workers and temporarily relaxing the normal rules on drivers’ hours, enabling the sector to keep supply chains running, including deliveries from farm gate to processors. The Government’s Covid-19 Business Interruption Loans scheme is available to the dairy industry. Defra has held urgent discussions with the major banks to ensure they understand that farmers, milk buyers and milk processors are eligible for this scheme and communications are being prepared to increase awareness across the dairy industry. We will continue to engage closely with representatives from all parts of the dairy supply chain to support the sector throughout this challenging period.

Agriculture: Coronavirus

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what support he is providing to farmers to compensate for (a) the loss of product sales and (b) lower market prices as a result of the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make a statement.

Victoria Prentis: The Government is aware that coronavirus represents a very significant challenge to daily life and to every part of the economy. We are working closely alongside the farming industry to ensure that we understand and manage the impacts to farming and the food supply chain. Defra’s Food Chain Emergency Liaison Group is meeting regularly to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the food and farming sectors across the UK and what actions are needed to support the sector. This group includes the NFU, other industry stakeholders and the devolved administrations. The Government is providing £330 billion of guarantees so any business needing cash can access a low-cost, Government-backed loan. If demand is greater than the initial £330 billion, then more capacity will be provided. This includes extension to the COVID-19 Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) as well as a new lending facility for larger firms. The Government’s CBILS scheme is available to the farming sector and farm businesses are being encouraged to access the loans that are available from this scheme. Defra has held urgent discussions with the major banks to ensure they understand that farmers are eligible for this scheme and communications are being prepared to increase awareness across the industry. The UK Agricultural Market Monitoring Group has increased the frequency of its meetings. Its aim is to monitor UK agricultural markets and provide forewarning of market movements. During the coronavirus outbreak this is allowing Defra and the Devolved Administrations to share the latest stakeholder information and to prepare the evidence base for a possible range of interventions needed in specific markets or specific geographical regions. The Secretary of State remains in regular contact with representatives of the farming industry and will continue to engage with them on these important issues. We will continue to monitor the situation and to work closely with the farming sector and to respond to emerging issues as they arise.

International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make representations to his international counterparts on establishing the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2020 as an online conference.

Rebecca Pow: The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has taken the decision to postpone its World Conservation Congress to January 2021 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. There are no plans for it to be held online. The UK supports IUCN in its planning and preparation for the Congress and will continue to work alongside the organisation to ensure the success of the event.

Fly-tipping: Coronavirus

Dr Luke Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for  Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to prevent an increase in fly-tipping in rural areas during the covid-19 outbreak.

Rebecca Pow: Fly-tipping is illegal, unacceptable wherever it occurs, and the Government is committed to tackling this crime. We are aware of reports of an increase in fly-tipping, although this is not consistent across the country. Local authorities are maintaining the vast majority of household waste collections, with 99% of councils responding to a weekly survey by ADEPT reporting residual and recycling collections as operational. We have published guidance to help local authorities prioritise waste services. This recommends that the clearance of fly-tipped material should be given a high priority. The Government is working with local authorities to explore ways in which household waste recycling centres that have been closed might be re-opened, whilst observing social distancing and other requirements. We will be publishing guidance for local authorities on the re-opening of household waste recycling centres shortly. Through the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group, chaired by Defra, we have disseminated messaging promoting the secure storage of waste, use of registered waste carriers and reiterating that waste must not be fly-tipped.

Supermarkets: Electronic Commerce

John Lamont: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking with supermarkets to help vulnerable people to shop for groceries online.

Victoria Prentis: Supermarkets have been working at pace to expand the total number of delivery and click and collect slots. The Government is working to ensure that approximately 1.8 million people in England identified by the NHS as being at higher risk of severe illness if they contract Coronavirus have access to the food they need. We have shared with supermarkets the details of those who have registered as extremely clinically vulnerable and need help accessing food. These details are processed by the supermarkets, who match these names against their own customer databases. They then offer people the option of priority access to online delivery. We are also working quickly to support people who do not fall into the category of being clinically extremely vulnerable, but still need help getting essential food supplies. This includes those who are elderly, disabled or have health conditions that make it difficult for them to get the food they need. We are speaking to food retailers, delivery organisations and volunteer groups to help prioritise those individuals to access essential food. Most supermarkets are offering prioritised delivery and click and collect slots to those they have identified as vulnerable from their customer databases (for example by age, shopping habits or previous use of vulnerable customer helplines). We are working closely with retailers and local authorities to stand up a service to allow local authorities to refer vulnerable people to supermarkets for a priority delivery or click and collect slot.

Air Pollution: Pollution Control

Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the steps required to meet the World Health Organization guideline values for PM2.5; and if he will publish those assessments.

Rebecca Pow: In July 2019, the Government published a report assessing the progress that will be made towards World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines under a range of scenarios. The report concluded that while significant progress would be made, additional action would be required in large urban areas such as London. The analysis did not outline a pathway to achieve the WHO guideline level for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) across the country, and did not take into account full economic viability and practical deliverability. The Environment Bill establishes a legally binding duty to set a target for PM2.5, demonstrating our commitment to action on the air pollutant that has the most significant impact on human health. We are committed to setting challenging targets and following an evidence based process, seeking advice from a range of experts, in addition to giving consideration to the WHO’s air quality guidelines. Stakeholders, Parliament and the public will have the opportunity to comment on and provide input for the process of developing this target.

Electronic Commerce: Coronavirus

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the level of adoption of the extremely vulnerable category in policies pertaining to online shopping.

Victoria Prentis: The Government is working to ensure that approximately 1.8 million people in England identified by the NHS as being at higher risk of severe illness if they contract Coronavirus have access to the food they need. The Government continues to contact this cohort of shielded individuals and ask them to register via the online Government webportal or via the phone if they need help accessing food. In partnership with industry, the Government started to deliver shielding packages in late March, to those that are clinically extremely vulnerable and have requested this support. These packages consist of essential supplies and food. Supermarkets are also prioritising online delivery slots for those that are most in need and have expanded their capacity for home deliveries. Just over 800,000 have registered online via the online webportal. Of this group, just over 250,000 have indicated that they need support to access food. Supermarkets are reporting good rates of matches to their customer bases and high numbers of orders. We are asking those who need to shield to also make sure that they are registered online directly with supermarkets, so that they can be matched and offered delivery. We are also working quickly to support people who do not fall into the category of being clinically extremely vulnerable, but still need help getting essential food supplies. This includes those who are elderly, disabled or have health conditions that make it difficult for them to get the food they need. We are speaking to food retailers, delivery organisations and volunteer groups to help prioritise those individuals to access essential food. Wherever possible, people should continue to rely on friends, family and wider community support.

Water Treatment: Sand

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing guidance to require water companies to add sand traps to waste water treatment facilities.

Rebecca Pow: Waste water treatment in the UK is largely determined by the requirements of the Urban Waste Water Treatment (England and Wales) Regulations 1994. The Regulations have the objective of protecting the environment from the adverse effects of waste water by setting minimum treatment levels supplemented by additional requirements to protect more sensitive receiving waters. The Regulations set the treatment standards to be achieved but do not prescribe the technology to be used to meet these standards. The use of sand traps to meet these standards is therefore a matter for water companies.

Home Office

Visas: India

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support she is giving to Indian nationals in the UK with visas due to expire soon but who cannot leave the UK due to international travel restrictions as result of the covid-19 pandemic.

Kevin Foster: Indian nationals whose visas expired after the 24 January and who cannot leave the country because of travel restrictions or self-isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic will be able to extend their visa. A dedicated COVID-19 immigration team has been set up within UKVI to make the process as straightforward as possible. Anyone in this situation just needs to contact this team via email at CIH@homeoffice.gov.uk or by calling 0800 678 1767 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm), to let them know their visa has expired and they will be issued with an extension. This will last until 31 May 2020 but will be kept under regular review in case further extensions are needed.

Drugs: Misuse

Royston Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) opiate, (b) cannabis and (c) cocaine users there were in England in 2018-19.

Royston Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the total cost to the NHS of illegal drug use in 2018-19.

Royston Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what data her Department holds on what the main source countries were of illegal (a) opiates, (b) cannabis and (c) cocaine smuggled into the UK in 2018-19.

Kit Malthouse: Information relating to the number of illicit drug users, the economic and social costs of illicit drugs and source countries for drug production is provided in the Dame Carol Black Independent Review of Drugs evidence pack on pages 17, 30, 33 and 41, published on 27 February 2020.

Voluntary Work: Coronavirus

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what documentation volunteers who are assisting people who are self-isolating are required to carry in order to demonstrate to the police and other authorities that they are conducting necessary actions in their community.

Kit Malthouse: Volunteers are not required to carry any documentation.We expect people to abide by these new restrictions in order to protect lives and save the NHS. The police will be given the powers to enforce these measures using their judgment on when it is appropriate to enforce them. We have not introduced documentation but we are keeping the situation under review and the Home Secretary has indicated that the government will take further steps if necessary.

Bail

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her timescale is for decision making following the consultation on proposed changes to pre-charge bail published on 5 February 2020.

Kit Malthouse: On the 5 February the Government launched a consultation on proposals to reform the use of pre-charge bail to protect victims and ensure the police are supported to investigate crimes. The consultation closes on 29 April.The Government will respond to the consultation and set out next steps in due course.

Domestic Abuse: Victim Support Schemes

Jess Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help victims of domestic abuse with No Recourse to Public Funds access domestic abuse services during the covid-19 outbreak.

Kevin Foster: This Government is committed to ensuring victims of domestic abuse are treated first and foremost as victims. Non-British victims residing in the UK are able to apply for support from local authorities regardless of their immigration status.

Offences against Children: Internet

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the risk of an increase in online child sexual abuse during the covid-19 outbreak when people are required to stay at home.

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to (a) tackle a potential increased risk of online child sexual abuse and (b) protect vulnerable children due to increased home working during the covid-19 outbreak.

Victoria Atkins: COVID-19 represents the most serious threat to public health in a generation.We are working at pace to understand the impact of COVID-19 on child sexual abuse, gathering input from law enforcement, safeguarding leads, charities, international partners and wider colleagues. Based on early reporting from law enforcement partners and expert opinion, our initial assessment suggests the risk of online abuse is likely to increase. We will continue to strengthen this assessment through regular situational updates and measuring the threat over a longer period, to ensure we can deliver the most effective response and that it reflects the risk across the whole system.In response, we are working across Government and with frontline partners to identify and respond to common challenges impacting vulnerable children across different crime threats, including coordinating messaging and support to frontline services.Our law enforcement partners continue to address child sexual abuse offending, and are already driving preventative messaging to children, young people and their parents/carers through the NCA’s Thinkuknow network, and charitable partners are sending preventative messaging for offenders. We are also working with these partners to sustain and optimise their response to mitigate the risk.

Immigration: Coronavirus

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to introduce a cap on the number of migrants permitted to enter the UK during the covid-19 outbreak.

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps she has taken to prevent incoming travellers entering the UK from other countries experiencing covid-19 outbreaks.

Kevin Foster: Our approach to tackling COVID-19 has been driven by the latest scientific and medical advice, with flows of passengers reduced significantly by travel restrictions in the UK and overseas.Any decisions in relation to the UK border and Covid-19 will be taken on the basis of scientific and medical advice. We need to keep our approach at the border, and all our measures, under active review but we will not hesitate to impose whatever restrictions in our power as are necessary.On 17 March 2020, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office advised against all non-essential international travel, and the Government also introduced unprecedented measures to manage and contain the spread of the virus. These measures include social distancing and self-isolation.

General Register Office: Marriage Certificates

Caroline Nokes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many staff in the General Register Office are working on the digitalisation of marriage certificates.

Kevin Foster: Work on the secondary legislation, IT systems and administrative processes that are required to enable the electronic registration of marriages is being undertaken by 15 people, alongside their other duties at the General Register Office.

Foreign Nationals: Coronavirus

Claire Hanna: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support her Department is providing to foreign nationals who plan to remain in the UK long-term but are unable to extend their visa due to (a) financial difficulties and (b) not being able to access legal advice during the covid-19 outbreak.

Chris Philp: We are taking compassionate and pragmatic measures to ensure appropriate support is available to individuals affected by and as a result of Covid-19.Those looking to stay in the UK long-term can apply from the UK online to switch to a long-term UK visa until 31 May. The terms of individuals’ existing leave will remain the same until applications are decided. Further Guidance is available on Gov.uk.Many existing measures also provide relevant support, for instance those eligible to apply for leave to remain or further leave to remain on a specified human rights route are also eligible to apply for a fee waiver.A coronavirus immigration mailbox CIH@homeoffice.gov.uk has also been set up and there is a freephone number 0800 678 1767 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) for those who wish to discuss their individual circumstances.c

Asylum: Applications

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on using the medical experience and qualifications of people who are waiting for a decision on their asylum application during the covid-19 outbreak; and if she will make a statement.

Chris Philp: Asylum seekers with medical experience and qualifications, who have been waiting for a decision on their claim for 12 months or more, can already apply to work for the NHS in the range of medical professions on the Shortage Occupation List.

Immigrants: Detainees

Alison Thewliss: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the timetable is for the publication of the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration's Adults at Risk in Detention report.

Chris Philp: The Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration’s report into Adults at Risk in Immigration Detention will be published as soon as possible.

Immigrants: Detainees

Christine Jardine: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have entered detention under immigration legislation since 23 March 2020.

Chris Philp: The Home Office publishes data on people entering detention in the ‘Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release’.Information on how to use the dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. The latest data relates to the year ending December 2019. Additionally, the Home Office publishes a high-level overview of the data in the 'summary tables'. The ‘contents’ sheet contains an overview of all available data on detention.Figures covering the first quarter of 2020 will be released on 21st May 2020. Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the ‘Research and statistics calendar’.

Visas: Married People

Peter Kyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will extend spousals visas where one spouse is unable to re-enter the country before their visa expiration date due to global travel restrictions.

Kevin Foster: The Home Office has put in place a range of measures to support those affected by the covid-19 outbreak. We continue to monitor the situation closely and take these exceptional circumstances into account.These are unprecedented times and we may make further adjustments to requirements where necessary and appropriate, to ensure people are not unduly affected by circumstances beyond their control.A coronavirus immigration mailbox CIH@homeoffice.gov.uk has also been set up and there is a freephone number 0800 678 1767 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) for those who wish to discuss their individual circumstances.

Visas: Foreign Nationals

Peter Kyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will allow the extension of visas for foreign nationals who are unable to re-enter the country before their visa expiration date due to global travel restrictions.

Kevin Foster: The Home Office has put in place a range of measures to support those affected by the covid-19 outbreak. We continue to monitor the situation closely and take these exceptional circumstances into account.These are unprecedented times and we may make further adjustments to requirements where necessary and appropriate, to ensure people are not unduly affected by circumstances beyond their control.A coronavirus immigration mailbox CIH@homeoffice.gov.uk has also been set up and there is a freephone number 0800 678 1767 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) for those who wish to discuss their individual circumstances.

Migrant Workers: Visas

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans her Department has to ensure that non-British nationals working in the (a) NHS and (b) social care sector to tackle the covid-19 outbreak are supported in extending their visas (i) during and (ii) after the outbreak.

Kevin Foster: The Government has announced, for NHS doctors, nurses and paramedics, whose visa will expire before 1 October, we will extend their visa for 12 months. This offer also applies to their families. The extension is automatic and free of charge and those benefitting will not have to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge.We keep all of our policies under review and are continuing to consider how we can best support the health and social care sector.

Hate Crime: China

Christine Jardine: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of racially-motivated hate crimes recorded by the police in each week of 2020 to date were against people of Chinese ethnicity.

Kit Malthouse: The Home Office collects and publishes statistics annually on the number of racially motivated hate crime offences recorded by the police in England and Wales. Information is not routinely collected on the ethnicity of victims.The latest ‘Hate Crime, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin is available here:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hate-crime-england-and-wales-2018-to-2019

Detention Centres: Hygiene

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department (a) has taken and (b) will take to ensure adequate supplies of soap and hand sanitizer at immigration removal centres.

Chris Philp: The safety and health of people in the detention estate is of the utmost importance. We are following all Public Health England guidance on COVID-19 and have robust contingency plans in place, including measures such as protective isolation.Basic hygiene is a key part of tackling COVID-19. Handwashing facilities are available in all immigration removal centres and we are working closely with suppliers to ensure we have an adequate supply of soap and cleaning materials. In addition, each centre has posters and leaflets to inform staff and detainees about the importance of handwashing and social distancing to minimise the risk from COVID-19. Detainees are also able to speak to staff directly for advice on the protective measures in place.

Scotland Office

Coronavirus: Scotland

John Lamont: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with the National Farmers' Union Scotland in response to the covid-19 outbreak.

Mr Alister Jack: My Parliamentary Under Secretary, OSSS officials and I have extremely regular contact with the National Farmers Union, Scotland. I very much value this relationship and we will continue to work together to address the challenging issues that the farming sector in Scotland faces as a result of Covid-19.

Cabinet Office

Veterans

Jonathan Gullis: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to support veterans and their families in (a) Stoke-on-Trent, (b) Kidsgrove and (c) England.

Johnny Mercer: This Government is absolutely committed to making the United Kingdom the best place to be a veteran anywhere in the world. We have created the Office for Veterans’ Affairs in the Cabinet Office to ensure veteran’s are represented right at the heart of Government.We have also introduced measures such as discounted railcards; guaranteed interviews to make it easier for veterans to join the Civil Service; creating more Armed Forces champions in the Department for Work and Pensions; introducing a national insurance holiday to encourage employers to maximise the talents of veterans in our workforce; improved access to housing; making it easier for veterans to access physical and mental healthcare support for veterans in the NHS, as well as introducing to legislation to ensure veterans are not subject to unfair historic investigations and further strengthening the Armed Forces Covenant in law.Specifically in Stoke on Trent, Veterans UK works very closely with the Veterans Support Centre, which is located in Newcastle Under Lyme and has supported over 18,000 people since the centre opened in 2015.

Freedom of Information: Coronavirus

John Lamont: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to ensure timely responses by Departments to Freedom of Information requests during the covid-19 outbreak.

Chloe Smith: It is important that Departments continue to respond to requests for access to information during this period as a key means of supporting transparency. We recognise that Departments face a range of pressures, and in some cases may not have access to the information requested. The Cabinet Office continues to provide advice to support delivery, in line with guidance issued by the Information Commissioner.

Constituencies

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will amend the Government's guidance to the Electoral Commission to ensure the Commission's recommendations on the 2018 Boundary Review are based on the number of people on the electoral register rather than in the total population.

Chloe Smith: Given the independent nature of the Boundary Commissions, the Government has not issued guidance to either the Electoral Commission or to the Boundary Commissions in respect of the conduct of boundary reviews.Boundary reviews have always been based on the number of registered electors. The 2018 Boundary Review was conducted by the four independent Boundary Commissions in accordance with the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986 which provides for boundary reviews and their recommendations to be based on the number of registered electors.

Treasury

Employee Ownership

Neil Gray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish a response to EDM 268 on Fair tax and employee share ownership.

Jesse Norman: The administration of the tax system is a matter for HM Revenue and Customs, who have indicated that they are in dialogue with the taxpayer mentioned in EDM 268; it would not be appropriate for Treasury ministers to comment on the specific case raised by the EDM.

Orchestras: Coronavirus

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending Orchestra Tax Relief to cover claims for costs incurred on cancelled concerts due to the covid-19 outbreak up to the point at which the concert would have taken place.

Jesse Norman: The orchestra tax relief legislation allows for the ‘abandonment’ of a concert due to circumstances outside of the company’s control. Cancellations of concerts because of COVID-19 would fall within ‘abandonment’. Claims may be made for qualifying expenditure incurred up to the abandonment of a concert or concert series and where an orchestra company has a legal obligation, such as a contractual one, to make the payments for a cancelled concert. HM Treasury keeps all tax reliefs under review. The Government has also announced an unprecedented package of support for businesses and individuals affected by COVID-19. This includes the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and Self-Employed Income Support Scheme delivered by HMRC. Further information about HMRC’s dedicated COVID-19 support can be found by visiting the GOV.UK website.

Mortgages: Coronavirus

Damien Moore: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with mortgage providers on automatically extending mortgage offer deadlines for people unable to exchange contracts for a property purchase due to the covid-19 outbreak.

John Glen: Following discussions with Government, UK Finance announced on 26 March that mortgage lenders will give customers who have exchanged contracts the option to extend their mortgage offer for up to 3 months to enable them to move at a later date. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has also issued guidance for home moving during the COVID-19 outbreak which advises that all parties should work to delay the exchange of contracts until after the period where stay-at-home measures to fight COVID-19 are in place. The guidance can be viewed in full here:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/government-advice-on-home-moving-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak

Public Finance: Coronavirus

Dr Luke Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the measures implemented to deal with the financial effect of the covid-19 outbreak; and what estimate he has made of the timescale for repaying the level of borrowing required for implementing those measures.

Steve Barclay: The Government has announced unprecedented support for public services, business and workers to protect against the current economic emergency. These steps are necessary to ensure that the country, economy and public finances are stronger in the longer-term. Precise costs are difficult to estimate at present due to a range of factors. For example, costs are heavily dependent on the impact of the crisis on the wider economy and the level of scheme take up. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) have published a coronavirus reference scenario which provides insight into the potential fiscal costs under a particular set of economic circumstances. In their scenario, the OBR estimate the direct cost of Government decisions to be £99.7 billion. The OBR note that the measures taken should help limit the long-term damage to the economy and public finances – and the costs of inaction would have been higher. A full assessment of the economic and fiscal position will be made at the next Budget alongside an updated OBR forecast.

Business: Loans

Claire Hanna: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to take steps to protect businesses from high interest rate loans offered to them by banks that wish to avoid using the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme during the covid-19 outbreak.

John Glen: The government has set out an unprecedented package of support for all businesses affected by this crisis, including the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme. On 3 April, the Chancellor extended the eligibility of the scheme so that all viable small businesses affected by Covid-19, and not just those viable businesses unable to secure regular commercial financing, are now eligible if the lender believes they will need finance to see them through these unprecedented times. This exceptional support is designed to enable all long-term viable businesses experiencing difficulties as a result of the coronavirus outbreak to access finance, if external finance is the right answer. All individual lending decisions, whether under CBILS or outside of this, remain at the discretion of lenders.

Self-employment Income Support Scheme: Entertainers

Claire Hanna: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether artists that have transitioned from receiving the majority of their earnings through PAYE to receiving the majority of their earnings through self-employment in the last three years will be classified as self-employed in respect of the Coronavirus Self-employment Income Support Scheme from the date they began to receive the majority of their earnings through self-employment.

Jesse Norman: The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced new support for the self-employed on 26 March 2020.The new Self-Employed Income Support Scheme will help those with lost trading profits due to COVID-19. It will allow eligible individuals to claim a taxable grant worth 80% of their trading profits up to a maximum of £2,500 per month for the next 3 months. This may be extended if needed and is one of the most generous self-employed support schemes in the world.To qualify, an individual’s self-employed trading profits must be less than £50,000 and more than half of their income must come from self-employment. Some 95% of people who receive most of their income from self-employment could benefit from this Scheme. More information about the Self-employment Income Support Scheme, including the full eligibility criteria and how to claim, is available at www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-a-grant-through-the-coronavirus-covid-19-self-employment-income-support-scheme.

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: Day Care

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has plans to issue further guidance for the childcare sector on the eligibility of their workers for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

Jesse Norman: HM Treasury and HMRC have no specific plans to provide separate guidance for the childcare sector on the eligibility of workers for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. However, the Department for Education has already published guidance for the childcare sector relating to COVID-19, including the financial support available to the sector. The Department for Education will keep this guidance under review and will update it as necessary. The online guidance provided by HMRC can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme for employers, https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-you-could-be-covered-by-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme for employees, and the guidance provided by the Department for Education can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-financial-support-for-education-early-years-and-childrens-social-care/coronavirus-covid-19-financial-support-for-education-early-years-and-childrens-social-care

Credit Unions: Coronavirus

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with representatives of the credit union sector on the challenges for the sector during the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make a statement.

John Glen: I am aware of the vital role that credit unions play in supporting the financial wellbeing of their communities as sources of affordable credit. On Tuesday 21 April I wrote to credit union trade bodies to thank frontline credit union staff for their efforts to continue to provide essential services to their members. I am engaging with representatives from the credit union sector through the Consumer Finance Forum and Financial Inclusion Policy Forum, which are bringing financial services and consumer group representatives together to discuss how to best support people, including credit union members, through this period. HMT officials are also working closely with the Prudential Regulation Authority, Financial Conduct Authority and sector representatives to monitor the impact of the disruption caused by COVID-19 on credit unions and their members. Fair4All Finance, the independent body set up by Government to distribute dormant assets funding to support financial inclusion, has set up a £5 million resilience fund to support credit unions and community development finance institutions in England.

Revenue and Customs: Staff

Martyn Day: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 27 February 2020 to Question 19900, on Revenue and Customs: Staff, how many staff based at the Bathgate Pyramids Business Centre he plans to redeploy to the Edinburgh Regional Centre.

Jesse Norman: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have worked through redeployment options for colleagues at Bathgate. HMRC continue to anticipate that about 70% of staff at Bathgate will be redeployed to Edinburgh, or to an alternative office, or to another Government department.

Self-employment Income Support Scheme

Martyn Day: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will enable people have become self-employed recently to submit their income tax self assessment tax return for 2019-20 to allow them to participate in the self-employed income support scheme due to loss of income caused by the covid-19 outbreak.

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he plans to take to support people that are recently self-employed and did not submit a self assessment tax return for the tax year 2018-19 under the Government’s Self-employment Income Support Scheme.

Jesse Norman: It has not been possible to include those who began trading after the 2018-19 tax year in the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme. This was a very difficult decision and it was taken for practical reasons. It is correct that individuals can now submit Income Tax Self Assessment returns for 2019-20, but there would be significant risks for the public purse if the Government relied on these returns for the scheme. HMRC would not be able to distinguish genuine self-employed individuals who started trading in 2019-20 from fake applications by fraudulent operators and organised criminal gangs seeking to exploit the SEISS. The Government cannot expose the tax system to these risks. However, those who entered self-employment after April 2019 may still be eligible for other support. For example, the self-employed can benefit from the Government’s relaxation of the earnings rules (known as the Minimum Income Floor) in Universal Credit. Individuals may also have access to a range of grants and loans depending on their circumstances, including the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme and the deferral of tax payments. More information about the full range of business support measures is available at www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support/.

Small Businesses: Coronavirus

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to support the owners of small, limited businesses who are eligible for limited financial support during the covid-19 outbreak due to receiving much of their usual income in dividends.

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to support self-employed people who are registered via limited companies.

Chris Elmore: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what financial support his Department is providing during the covid-19 outbreak to people that are paid through dividends rather than a salary.

Chris Elmore: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what financial support is available during the covid-19 outbreak to individuals who are a sole-person limited company.

Janet Daby: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to support company directors during the covid-19 outbreak who have previously paid themselves through a combination of salary and dividends.

Jesse Norman: Those who pay themselves a salary through their own company may be eligible to claim for 80% of usual monthly wage costs, up to £2,500 a month, through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS). The CJRS is available to employers, including personal service companies, and individuals paying themselves a salary through a PAYE scheme are eligible. Income from dividends is a return on investment in the company, rather than wages, and is not eligible for support. Under current reporting mechanisms it is not possible for HM Revenue and Customs to distinguish between dividends derived from an individual’s own company and dividends from other sources, and between dividends in lieu of employment income and as returns from other corporate activity. Expanding the scope would require HMRC to collect and verify new information. This would take longer to deliver and put at risk the other schemes which the Government is committed to delivering as quickly as possible. Individuals who are not eligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme might be able to access the other support Government is providing, including the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme and the deferral of tax payments. More information about the full range of business support measures is available at www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support/

Non-domestic Rates: Coronavirus

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether businesses with A2 category premises are eligible for the business rates holiday.

Jesse Norman: Some A2 category premises will benefit from the business rates holiday for the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors. The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government published updated guidance for those eligible properties on 25 March. A range of further measures to support all businesses, including those not eligible for the business rates holiday, have also been made available. These include the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to help firms continue to keep people in employment, the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme offering loans of up to £5 million for SMEs through the British Business Bank, and the deferral of VAT payments for this quarter.

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to support furloughed employees that were employed after 28 February 2020 and are not eligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

Jesse Norman: The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme eligibility cut-off date has been pushed back from 28 February to 19 March, so that employers can claim for furloughed employees that were on their PAYE payroll on or before 19 March 2020 and for whom HMRC received an RTI submission notifying payment in respect of that employee on or before the 19 March 2020. This means that employees who were originally ineligible can now participate in the scheme. Those not eligible may be able to access other Government support, including a package of temporary welfare measures and up to three months’ mortgage payment holidays for those struggling with their mortgage payments.

Self-employed: Coronavirus

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has plans to provide financial support to self-employed people that earn up to £60,000 a year and are therefore not eligible for the covid-19 Self Employed Income Support Scheme.

Jesse Norman: Some 95% of people who receive the majority of their income from self-employment should be eligible to benefit from the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS). The scheme, including the £50,000 threshold, is designed to ensure it is targeted at those who need it most, and who are most reliant on their self-employment income. Those with average profits above £50,000 could still benefit from other support. Individuals may have access to a range of grants and loans depending on their circumstances. The SEISS supplements the significant support already announced for UK businesses, including the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme and the deferral of tax payments. More information about the full range of business support measures is available at www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support/.

Self-employed: Coronavirus

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to extend financial support for the self-employed to include people that make contributions through PAYE.

Jesse Norman: The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme provides support for eligible individuals with trading profits. These profits are reported on Self-Assessment tax returns. Employers paying individuals through PAYE can access the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. This also applies to salaried individuals who are directors of their own company. The self-employed can also access a wide range of other financial support, and more information is available at www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support/.

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that businesses only grant their employees furlough according to Government guidance during the covid-19 outbreak.

Jesse Norman: The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme forms part of a collective national effort to protect people’s jobs. HMRC will check claims made through the scheme. Payments may be withheld or need to be repaid in full to HMRC if the claim is based on dishonest or inaccurate information or found to be fraudulent. The Government expect the vast majority of employers to do the right thing, but HMRC reserve the right to follow up on claims and take whatever action is necessary if people abuse the CJRS scheme. Fraudulent claims risk the provision of public services and the protection of livelihoods. Employees can play a vital role by reporting fraudulent claims to HMRC: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs/contact/customs-excise-and-vat-fraud-reporting

Business: Costs

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has plans to provide support to people that are self-employed for fixed business costs.

Jesse Norman: The Government has announced unprecedented support for business and workers to protect them against the current economic emergency. The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) will provide grants to those who are self-employed, or members of partnerships, worth 80% of their trading profits/partnership trading profits, up to a maximum of £2,500 per month. The value of the grant is based on a 3-year average of trading/partnership trading profits, from the tax years 2016-17 to 2018-19. SEISS is available to those who generate majority of their income from self-employment and who earn less than £50k. Self-employed individuals may also benefit from other support available, including:A 12-month business rates holiday for all eligible retail, leisure and hospitality businesses in EnglandSmall business grant funding of £10,000 for all business in receipt of small business rate relief or rural rate reliefThe Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS)VAT deferral for up to 12 monthsThe Time To Pay scheme, through which individuals in financial distress, and with outstanding tax liabilities, can receive support with their tax affairsProtection for commercial leaseholders against automatic forfeiture for non-payment until 30 June 2020A 3-month mortgage holiday for homeowners The Business Support website provides further information about how businesses can access the support that has been made available, who is eligible, when the schemes open and how to apply: https://www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support.Details of the range of support for individuals affected by COVID-19 is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/support-for-those-affected-by-covid-19/support-for-those-affected-by-covid-19.

Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund

Emma Hardy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Government guidance entitled Covid-19 support for businesses, what plans he has to enable mobile hospitality businesses that operate from property classed as storage for business rate purposes to access the support that is available to the rest of the hospitality sector.

Steve Barclay: The Government has launched two grants schemes to support small businesses during this difficult time. • The Small Business Grant Fund provides eligible businesses with a £10,000 grant per property, for each property in receipt of Small Business Rates Relief (SBRR) or Rural Rates Relief (RRR).• The Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund provides eligible businesses with a £10,000 grant per property, for each property used for these purposes with a rateable value of £15,000 or less and which is not in receipt of SBRR or RRR. Businesses are also eligible for a £25,000 grant per property, for each property used for these purposes with a rateable value between £15,000 and £51,000.These schemes have been designed to support the smallest businesses, and smaller businesses in some of the sectors which have been hit hardest by the measures taken to prevent the spread of Covid-19.In order to ensure that payments can be made as quickly as possible to businesses in need, the schemes have been designed based on property classifications. So only public-facing properties used for retail, hospitality, or leisure services are eligible for the specific grants for those sectors.This is to keep the schemes simple for Local Authorities (LAs) to deliver in order to ensure that support can reach businesses in need quickly. It would be difficult to assess whether storage units are used for retail, hospitality, or leisure services as opposed to other uses. LAs would need to create an entirely new system and to put in place appropriate anti-fraud checks. This would significantly increase LAs’ workloads at a time when they are already working under pressure to support struggling businesses as quickly as possible. However, small businesses which are not eligible for these schemes should be able to benefit from other measures in the Government’s unprecedented package of support for business, including:• An option to defer VAT payments by up to twelve months;• The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS);• The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS).The Business Support website provides further information about how businesses can access the support that has been made available, who is eligible, when the schemes open and how to apply - https://www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support/

Small Business Grants Fund

Nick Fletcher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of enabling businesses that have multiple premises in different local authority areas to access the £10,000 small business grant funding.

Steve Barclay: The Small Business Grant Fund has been designed to support the smallest businesses which have been hit hardest by the measures taken to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The design of the scheme has been tied to existing eligibility for Small Business Rates Relief and Rural Rates Relief, which together provide a straightforward framework for Local Authorities to make payments as quickly as possible. Any delay in the delivery of the grants schemes would be highly unwelcome during this time of crisis, when it is vital that Local Authorities make payments to hard-hit businesses as quickly as possible. Under the Retail, Hospitality, and Leisure Grant Fund, properties operating in those sectors with a rateable value of £15,000 or under can receive a £10,000 even if they are not eligible for Small Business Rates Relief or Rural Rates Relief. This is designed to help sectors which have been particularly hard hit by the closures necessary to stop the spread of Covid-19.

Small Business Grants Fund

Dr Luke Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that multiple businesses residing in multi occupancy business premises are able to directly access funds from the Small Business Grants scheme during the covid-19 outbreak.

Steve Barclay: The Small Business Grants Fund and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grants Fund have been designed to support the smallest businesses, and smaller businesses in the some of the sectors which have been hit hardest by measures taken to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The two schemes have been tied to the business rates system and rating assessments, which together provide a framework for Local Authorities to make payments as quickly as possible. Businesses in the business rates system are also likely to face particularly high fixed costs, such as fixed rents. In some cases, businesses operating in multi-occupancy spaces will have their own rating assessments and may therefore be eligible for the grants schemes. In these cases, Local Authorities are urging landlords and management agents to support them in ensuring that the grants reach the correct ratepayers. Businesses operating in multi-occupancy spaces which do not have their own ratings assessment are not eligible for the grants schemes. Extending eligibility to these businesses would not be practicable as it would require Local Authorities to create an entirely new system and to put in place appropriate anti-fraud checks. This would significantly increase Local Authorities’ workloads at a time when they are already working under pressure to support struggling businesses as quickly as possible. Small businesses which are not eligible for the Small Business Grant Fund and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund should still be able to benefit from other measures in the Government’s unprecedented package of support for business, including: An option to defer VAT payments by up to twelve months;The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, now extended to cover all businesses including those which would be able to access commercial credit;The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, to support businesses with their wage bills;The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, to provide support to the self-employed.

Radio: Local Broadcasting

Dr Luke Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that local radio stations residing in multi occupancy business premises are able to access funds from the Small Business Grant scheme during the outbreak so they can continue broadcasting to their local communities.

Steve Barclay: The Small Business Grants Fund and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grants Fund have been designed to support the smallest businesses, and smaller businesses in the some of the sectors which have been hit hardest by measures taken to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The two schemes have been tied to the business rates system and rating assessments, which together provide a framework for Local Authorities to make payments as quickly as possible. Businesses in the business rates system are also likely to face particularly high fixed costs, such as fixed rents. In some cases, businesses operating in multi-occupancy spaces will have their own rating assessments and may therefore be eligible for the grants schemes. In these cases, Local Authorities are urging landlords and management agents to support them in ensuring that the grants reach the correct ratepayers.Businesses operating in multi-occupancy spaces which do not have their own ratings assessment are not eligible for the grants schemes. Extending eligibility to these businesses would not be practicable as it would require Local Authorities to create an entirely new system and to put in place appropriate anti-fraud checks. This would significantly increase Local Authorities’ workloads at a time when they are already working under pressure to support struggling businesses as quickly as possible. Small businesses which are not eligible for the Small Business Grant Fund and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund should still be able to benefit from other measures in the Government’s unprecedented package of support for business, including: An option to defer VAT payments by up to twelve months;The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, now extended to cover all businesses including those which would be able to access commercial credit;The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, to support businesses with their wage bills;The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, to provide support to the self-employed.

Self-employment Income Support Scheme

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Government's Self-employment Income Support Scheme, if he will take steps to ensure that a loss of earnings for self-employed women as a result of receiving maternity allowance is taken into account when calculating average profits from their tax returns over the last three years.

Claire Hanna: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that the self-employment support scheme does not discriminate against claimants whose income dropped in the applicable tax years as a result of (a) illness and (b) maternity leave; and whether the average grant will take account of self-employment profit that is less than half of one the tax years.

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that self-employed people who have recently taken (a) maternity leave and (b) extended sick leave and make a claim for support through the Self-employment Income Support Scheme do not have their average earnings calculated in a way that will disadvantage their payment.

Jesse Norman: The new Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) will help those with lost trading profits due to COVID-19. It means the UK will have one of the most generous self-employed COVID-19 support schemes in the world.The new scheme will allow eligible individuals to claim a taxable grant worth 80% of their trading profits up to a maximum of £2,500 per month for 3 months. Self-employed individuals, including members of partnerships, are eligible if they have submitted their Income Tax Self Assessment tax return for the tax year 2018-19, continued to trade and have lost trading/partnership trading profits due to COVID-19.Taking maternity leave, paternity leave, or sick leave does not mean that the trade has ceased and therefore should not affect a person’s eligibility for the SEISS as long as the individual intends to return to the trade after the period of leave.To qualify for the SEISS, an individual’s self-employed trading profits must be less than £50,000, with more than half of their income from self-employment. Delivering a scheme for the self-employed is a very difficult operational challenge, particularly in the time available. There is no way for HM Revenue & Customs to know the reasons why an individual’s profits may have dropped in earlier years from Self Assessment returns.However, to help those with volatile income in 2018-19 for whatever reason, an individual is eligible for the SEISS if their trading profits are no more than £50,000 and at least half of their total income, for either the tax year 2018-19 or the average of the tax years 2016-17, 2017-18, and 2018-19. If eligible, they will receive a taxable grant based on their average trading profit over the three tax years, including in years where their trading profits were less than half their total income.

Self-employment Income Support Scheme: Holiday Accommodation

Sir Desmond Swayne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish (a) guidance and (b) FAQs online to clarify the eligibility of furnished holiday lettings businesses for the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme.

Jesse Norman: The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced new support for the self-employed on 26 March 2020. The new Self-Employed Income Support Scheme (SEISS) will help those with lost trading profits due to COVID-19. To qualify, an individual’s self-employed trading profits must be no more than £50,000 and more than half of their income must come from self-employment. Some 95% of people who receive most of their income from self-employment could benefit from this Scheme. Income from furnished holiday lets is not considered to be ‘trading profit’, but is property related income which is not included in the scope of SEISS. Guidance on how HMRC work out total income and trading profits for SEISS has been published on GOV.UK and is updated regularly. The guidance can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-a-grant-through-the-coronavirus-covid-19-self-employment-income-support-scheme

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has plans to take steps to encourage companies to rehire and furlough employees that ceased work on or after 28 February 2020 to take up a new job which has fallen through as a result of covid-19.

Jesse Norman: The eligibility cut-off date for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has been pushed back from 28 February, allowing employers to claim for furloughed employees that were on their PAYE payroll on or before 19 March 2020 and for whom HMRC received an RTI submission notifying payment in respect of that employee on or before the 19 March 2020. This means that employees who were originally ineligible can now participate in the scheme. Employers can agree to re-employ individuals who stopped working for them after 28 February 2020 and place them on furlough. This applies even if they are not re-employed until after 19 March 2020, as long as they were on the employer’s payroll on or before 28 February 2020. Use of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is at the discretion of the employer. If a firm chooses not to do this, individuals may be able to access the other support Government is providing, including a package of temporary welfare measures and up to three-month mortgage payment holidays for those struggling with their mortgage payments.

Self-employed: Government Assistance

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what support his Department provides to self-employed people with an income of less than 50 per cent of their total monthly income as a result of being in receipt of an armed forces pension.

Jesse Norman: In order to qualify for the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS), more than half of an individual’s income must come from self-employment. Those who do not meet this criterion will not qualify for the scheme, although anyone requiring support before the beginning of June should have access to other measures appropriate to their individual circumstances. These measures include the relaxation of the earnings rules in Universal Credit.

Farmers: Universal Credit

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what support his Department is providing to farmers in (a) Shropshire and (b) the UK that are ineligible for universal credit as a result of their level of savings.

Jesse Norman: Farmers in Shropshire and across the UK can benefit from the unprecedented package of measures announced by the Government to protect people and businesses against the current economic emergency. This includes £330 billion of government-backed and guaranteed loans through the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Schemes, a Self-Employment Income Support Scheme to help self-employed individuals affected by the outbreak, and a Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to help businesses keep millions of people in employment. Universal Credit is not available to people with capital over £16,000, to ensure support is targeted at those who most need it. However, if self-employed claimants have savings in their account that are to be used for business purposes, those will not be counted towards their capital limit. Claimants should make this clear in their Universal Credit application and online journal, and may be asked to prove it.

PAYE

Harriett Baldwin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people on the PAYE system changed employers in each calendar month during 2018-19.

Harriett Baldwin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of people on the PAYE system who voluntarily left their place of employment to start a new PAYE job between 28 February 2020 and 23 March 2020.

Jesse Norman: Unfortunately, due to data constraints, the requested analysis could not be completed by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) within the required timeframe. HMRC are therefore not able to provide information on individuals who changed employers.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to provide financial support to small care companies that are not eligible for the Government's Small Business Grant during the covid-19 outbreak.

Steve Barclay: Small care companies and other businesses which are not eligible for the Small Business Grant Fund should still be able to benefit from other measures in the Government’s unprecedented package of support for business, including: An option to defer VAT payments by up to twelve months;The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, now extended to cover all businesses including those which would be able to access commercial credit;The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, to support businesses with their wage bills;The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, to provide support to the self-employed. Small care companies will also be assisted by the measures set out in the Government’s Care Action Plan, including increased testing of care users and workers and improvements to PPE supply.

Roads: Freight

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what financial support he plans to make available to road haulage businesses which employ key workers and who are not eligible for Government Small Business Grants.

Claire Hanna: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what financial support is available to road haulage firms during the covid-19 outbreak.

Steve Barclay: The Government has already announced a range of measures to support all businesses, including hauliers, such as the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme. The Department for Transport is continuing to engage with the haulage industry to understand the impact of Covid-19 on the sector.

Child Benefit

Claire Hanna: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Government has plans to review the high income child benefit charge in response to the covid-19 outbreak.

Jesse Norman: The Government introduced the High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC) from January 2013 to ensure that support is targeted at those who need it most. HICBC applies to anyone with an individual income over £50,000, who receives Child Benefit or whose partner receives it, regardless of the make-up of their household. The charge increases gradually for taxpayers with incomes between £50,000 and £60,000. The Government has no current plans to review HICBC but, as with all elements of tax policy, keeps this under review. The Government understands that COVID-19 is having a financial impact on individuals. Those who have claimed Child Benefit but have opted out of receiving payments so they did not need to return any HICBC liability, can opt back in to start getting Child Benefit payments. In addition, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have set up the COVID-19 helpline for anyone who is having financial difficulties and concerned about their ability to make a full payment of tax on time. HMRC can give people the time they need to pay, by deferring payments and payment through instalments.

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

Afzal Khan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many businesses have successfully made claims under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme since that scheme has been established.

Jesse Norman: Applications for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) opened on Monday 20th April. As of Sunday 26th April HMRC had received about 512,000 claims with a total value of about £4.5bn. This is a new scheme and HMRC are currently working through the analysis they will be able to provide based on the data available. HMRC will make the timescales for publication and the types of data available in due course.

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

Afzal Khan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the businesses that have successfully made claims under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, (a) from which sectors  those claims have been made and (b) what the average earnings of employees claimed for has been.

Jesse Norman: Applications for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) opened on Monday 20th April. As of Thursday 23th April HMRC had received about 512,000 claims with a total value of about £4.5bn. This is a new scheme and HMRC are currently working through the analysis they will be able to provide based on the data available. HMRC will make the timescales for publication and the types of data available in due

Loans

Dr Luke Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the covid-19 outbreak, whether he has plans to review the regulations of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 to allow (a) businesses and (b) financial providers to negotiate the terms of loans.

John Glen: The Government is committed to doing whatever it takes to get our nation through the impacts of COVID-19 and, as part of this, is continually assessing ways of supporting the financial sector, where evidence shows that interventions are required. This includes the Consumer Credit Act 1974. The Government is working closely with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the financial sector on this issue to assess whether further action is necessary.

Conditions of Employment: Coronavirus

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that companies do not put pressure on their employees to work when furloughed during the covid-19 outbreak.

Jesse Norman: The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme forms part of a collective national effort to protect people’s jobs. To be eligible for the grant, when on furlough an employee cannot undertake work for, or on behalf, of the employer or any linked or associated organisation. This includes providing services or generating revenue. Fraudulent claims risk the provision of public services and the protection of livelihoods. Employees can play a vital role by reporting fraudulent claims to HMRC: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs/contact/customs-excise-and-vat-fraud-reporting.

Conditions of Employment: Coronavirus

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether there is a tip-off hotline for employees that have been asked to work by their employer when furloughed during the covid-19 outbreak.

Jesse Norman: Fraudulent claims risk the provision of public services and the protection of livelihoods, and employees can play a vital role by reporting fraudulent claims to HMRC: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs/contact/customs-excise-and-vat-fraud-reporting.

Council Tax: Small Businesses

Selaine Saxby: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to support small businesses that pay council tax on their properties and not business rates during the covid-19 outbreak.

Jesse Norman: The Chancellor has set out a package of temporary, timely and targeted measures to support public services, people and businesses through this period of disruption caused by COVID-19. All councils have their own local council tax support scheme which provides reductions in council tax for low income residents. In addition, the Government has provided councils with a £500m hardship fund to enable additional council tax relief. This funding is in addition to support for businesses, including the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme. Those who are self-employed or a member of a partnership may be eligible for a grant through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme.

Mortgages: Coronavirus

Mr Stephen Morgan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to support people facing financial difficulties as a result of the covid-19 outbreak that will not benefit from the recent interest rate reduction by the Bank of England as their mortgage rate is determined by LIBOR.

John Glen: Banks and building societies are ready and able to support consumers impacted by COVID-19. On the 17 March, the Chancellor announced on behalf of the sector that banks and building societies will offer a 3-month ‘mortgage holiday’ for borrowers that are struggling with their repayments. This forbearance measure will enable affected borrowers to defer their mortgage payments for up to 3 months. This measure has also been extended to Buy to Let landlords struggling as a result of their tenants being unable to meet their rental repayments. Lenders have also agreed to a three-month moratorium on residential and buy to let possession action to start immediately to provide customers with reassurance that they will not have their homes repossessed at this difficult time. The FCA have also published guidance on payment holidays and repossession action for firms that engage in mortgage lending activities. You can view the guidance here:https://www.fca.org.uk/consumers/mortgages-coronavirus-consumers Decisions concerning the pricing of loans, including the level of interest charged, remain commercial decisions for lenders, and the Government does not seek to intervene in these decisions. Many lenders have chosen to pass on the recent base rate cut to their customers but this will not necessarily apply to all mortgage products.

Investment Income

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent estimate he has made of the number of people who draw dividends in lieu of a salary from a Limited Company in the UK.

Jesse Norman: HMRC administrative data does not cover the sources of dividend income. It is therefore not possible to determine accurately the number of individuals who have taken dividend income in lieu of a salary from Limited Companies. HMRC publish statistics on the number of taxpayers receiving dividend income and the amounts received for tax years from 2010-11 to 2017-18. These statistics do not distinguish between dividends paid as salary, and dividends received as returns from investments. These statistics are published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/investment-income-2010-to-2011.

Dismissal: Coronavirus

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to amend  Section 98 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 to require employers to justify their decision to dismiss an employee rather than place them on furlough during the covid-19 outbreak.

Jesse Norman: The purpose of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) is to help firms to keep their workers in employment. However, choosing to participate in the CJRS is ultimately at the discretion of employers, and they will not be required to justify their decision to dismiss an employee rather than to place them on furlough.

Monetary Policy

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reasons he did not include a climate objective for the Bank of England monetary policy committee in his remit letter of 11 March 2020; and if he will make it his policy that an objective is set for UK monetary policy to support the net zero emissions target set out in the Climate Change Act 2008.

John Glen: The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of England has the primary objective, set out in law, of maintaining price stability. As a broad macroeconomic objective, this applies to the economy as a whole and not to specific sectors. In the Green Finance Strategy, the Government announced that it will ensure that the need for the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), the Financial Policy Committee (FPC) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) have regard to the COP21 Paris Agreement when considering how to advance their objectives and discharge their functions.  As such, the remit and recommendations for the Financial Policy Committee – published in March 2020 – now sets out the responsibilities of the FPC regarding climate change in relation to the achievement of its statutory objectives. Similarly, the government remains committed to including these considerations in the next remit letters for the FCA and PRA that will be issued at an appropriate opportunity under this Parliament.

Government Securities: Coronavirus

Alexander Stafford: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of introducing a Corona Bond scheme similar to War Bonds issued during previous wars.

Alexander Stafford: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a Corona Bond scheme similar to War Bonds.

John Glen: At present, the UK Government does not have any plans to introduce a special Coronavirus bond. Our core gilt programme is the most stable and cost-effective way of raising finance to fund the day-to-day activities of Government. The Government remains open to the introduction of new debt instruments, but would need to be satisfied that any new instrument would meet value-for-money criteria, enjoy strong and sustained demand in the long-term and be consistent with wider fiscal objectives.The Government has recently announced an unprecedented package of measures to provide the critical support needed by individuals, families and businesses, in the wake of Covid-19. This will increase the Government’s immediate financing requirements, which, as previously announced by the Chancellor, will be fully funded by additional borrowing through the government’s normal debt management operations. In response to this, an adjustment to the DMO’s gilt issuance plans for April 2020 was published on 31 March 2020 and, additionally, a revision to the DMO’s gilt financing remit for May-July 2020 was announced on 23 April. A further update to the DMO’s financing remit and planned issuance schedule for 2020-21 will be announced on Monday 29 June 2020. This all focuses on existing debt financing instruments.

Covid-19 Corporate Financing Facility

Stephen Kinnock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of (a) removing or (b) lowering the credit rating eligibility threshold for the Covid Corporate Financing Facility to enable larger corporates without the requisite credit rating to gain access to that scheme.

Steve Barclay: The facility is open to firms that can demonstrate they were in sound financial health prior to the shock, allowing the Government to look through temporary impacts on firms’ balance sheets and cash flows from the shock itself. If a firm believes it is the equivalent of investment grade, there are now two ways in which a firm can demonstrate this in order to be eligible for the CCFF:• The company should speak to their bank, and if their bank’s advice is that the firm was viewed internally as investment grade as of 1st March, they should contact the Bank of England (CCFFeligibleissuers@bankofengland.co.uk). The BoE will then draw on a range of information, including banks’ internal ratings of a firm, to check whether the firm is equivalent to investment grade.• The company or their bank can speak to the major credit ratings agencies to secure an assessment of credit quality in a form that can be shared with the BoE and HMT. Credit ratings agencies have been primed to process these assessments much more quickly than they normally take.The CCFF is just one of a number of schemes; and the government has also launched the CBILS and CLBILs schemes, as well as making VAT deferral available, and protecting commercial leaseholders against automatic forfeiture for non-payment. Together the CBILS, CLBILS and CCFF ensure almost all viable UK businesses can apply for a government backed loan.

Cash Dispensing: Fees and Charges

Chris Elmore: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to maintain free access to cash withdrawals during the covid-19 outbreak.

John Glen: The Government recognises the importance of cash to the daily lives of millions of people across the UK, particularly to those in vulnerable groups and individuals who may be self-isolating. The Government is working closely with the cash industry and regulators to ensure that people can continue to access their cash. Customers can continue to use ATMs or cash machines as normal for cash withdrawals and balance enquiries. LINK, the scheme that runs the UK’s largest ATM network, has existing arrangements in place to protect free-to-use ATMs that do not have another free-to-use ATM or Post Office counter within 1 kilometre. LINK is also supporting the viability of remote ATMs with premium fees paid to ATM deployers. The Financial Conduct Authority is monitoring the situation closely to ensure that regulated firms are providing clear information about the solutions that they offer to help customers make payments.

Cash Dispensing

Chris Elmore: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to support the ATM industry during the covid-19 outbreak.

John Glen: The Government has announced unprecedented support for public services, workers and businesses to protect against the current economic emergency. The Government is monitoring the impact measures are having and keeps all policies under review. To ensure that people continue to be able to access their cash during the Covid-19 outbreak, the Government continues to work closely with the cash industry and regulators. LINK has existing commitments to protect free-to-use ATMs that are 1 kilometre or further from the next free-to-use ATM or Post Office, and several of its members have recently pledged to replace these protected ATMs should they close in the next 12 months. The Government-established Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) is closely monitoring developments in ATM provision. The PSR regulates LINK, the scheme which runs the UK’s ATM network, and has used its powers to hold LINK to account over LINK’s commitments to preserve the broad geographic spread of the ATM network.

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will further extend the start date of the furlough scheme to employees who were on their employees payroll after the 19 March 2020 to enable people who started new jobs towards the end of March 2020 to be furloughed; and if he will make a statement.

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to support people that have recently started their job, and were not on their employer's PAYE payroll on 28 February 2020, and are therefore not eligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

Claire Hanna: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what support is available for people who finished their employment after 28 February 2020 but have been unable to take up new employment due to the covid-19 outbreak and are not supported by any financial package.

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of  revising the 28 February deadline for new starter employees to ensure that more people can access furlough payments.

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of the 28 February deadline for new starter employees on the financial security of people who are ineligible due to that deadline.

Bell Ribeiro-Addy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that all new starters including people who were due to be on payroll after 19 March 2020 are eligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

Scott Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Government has made an assessment of the potential merits for people who have changed jobs or who were made redundant in March 2020 of extending the cut-off date for real time information submissions in the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to 31 March 2020.

Jesse Norman: On 15 April, the Government announced it would extend the cut-off date for the CJRS to 19 March, to include employees whose payroll information was notified to HMRC by 19 March. Processing claims for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme in cases where HMRC did not have RTI data by 19 March would require much greater manual handling by HMRC, which would significantly slow down the system while risking substantial levels of fraud. It would also require greater resource for HMRC when they are already under significant pressure to deliver the system designed. Those not eligible for the scheme may be able to access the other support Government is providing, including a package of temporary welfare measures and up to three months’ mortgage payment holidays for those struggling with their mortgage payments.

Dental Services: Government Assistance

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to provide further financial support to private dental practices that are not eligible for business rates relief or the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme.

Steve Barclay: The Government has set out a range of measures which will provide further financial support to private dental practices that are not eligible for business rates relief or the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme. If they meet the criteria, private dentists who are self-employed could be eligible for the Self-employment Income Support Scheme. Those who are employees and receive a salary through a PAYE scheme could be eligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. All employed staff in dental practices, including support staff, could also be eligible for this scheme. This is on top of other support available to private businesses, such as tax deferrals.

Non-domestic Rates: Coronavirus

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what support he is providing to (a) small businesses and (b) market traders who pay business rates collectively and are ineligible for business rate grants during the covid-19 outbreak.

Jesse Norman: Market traders and other small businesses which are not eligible for the Small Business Grant Fund and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund may benefit from other measures in the Government’s unprecedented package of support for business, including: An option to defer VAT payments by up to twelve months;The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, now extended to cover all businesses, including those which would be able to access commercial credit;The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, to support businesses with their wage bills;The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, to provide support to the self-employed.

Non-domestic Rates

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of making (a) market traders and (b) other small businesses which pay business rates collectively eligible for Business Rates Grants.

Jesse Norman: The Small Business Grants Fund and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grants Fund have been designed to support the smallest businesses, and smaller businesses in the some of the sectors which have been hit hardest by measures taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The two schemes have been tied to the business rates system and rating assessments, which together provide a framework for Local Authorities to make payments as quickly as possible. Businesses in the business rates system are also likely to face particularly high fixed costs, such as fixed rents. In some shared spaces, individual users have their own rating assessments and may therefore be eligible for the grants schemes. In these cases, Local Authorities are urging landlords and management agents to support them in ensuring that the grants reach the correct ratepayers. Businesses operating in shared spaces which do not have their own ratings assessment are not eligible for the grants schemes. Extending eligibility to these businesses would not be practicable as it would require Local Authorities to create an entirely new system and to put in place appropriate anti-fraud checks. This would significantly increase Local Authorities’ workloads at a time when they are already working under pressure to support struggling businesses as quickly as possible.

Carers: Protective Clothing

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans his Department has to temporarily suspend VAT on Personal Protective Equipment for care companies and providers during the outbreak of covid-19.

Jesse Norman: The Government has already waived import taxes on crucial medical equipment coming to the UK; allowing for more protective clothing, tests and ventilators to get to those on the frontline protecting people and the NHS. Personal Protection Equipment (including surgical masks and gloves) purchased by charitable welfare organisations providing services to disabled people, such as care homes, is zero-rated when purchased using either donations or associated charitable funds.

Personal Income

Christine Jardine: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a universal basic income.

Steve Barclay: There are fundamental problems with the reality of a Universal Basic Income (UBI). A flat rate UBI would not take into account people’s circumstances, and the additional costs faced by some individuals. Therefore, a UBI would not target support where it is most needed. To protect people’s incomes during the Covid-19 crisis, the Government has announced alternative measures, including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, and additional support for low income families which can be delivered quickly and effectively through the existing welfare system. This includes increasing the Universal Credit (UC) standard allowance, the Working Tax Credit basic element, and the rates used to calculate Housing Benefit and the UC housing element. At a time when the Department for Work and Pensions and HM Revenue and Customs are experiencing unprecedented demand, we have rightly prioritised the safety and stability of the existing tax and benefit systems.

Aviation: Coronavirus

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of providing additional financial support to the aviation sector during the covid-19 outbreak and making that support contingent on airline companies committing to taking steps to (a) increase wages in line with the National Living Wage, (b) offer furlough where possible and (c) commit to, and plan for, further emission-reduction targets.

Steve Barclay: The Government recognises the challenging times facing the aviation sector as a result of COVID-19 and the Chancellor wrote to the aviation sector on 24 March to set out the Government’s position and the support measures available. Given the significant importance of the aviation sector to our economy and economic recovery, the Government is prepared to enter negotiations with individual companies seeking bespoke support as a last resort, having exhausted other options. However further taxpayer support would only be possible if all commercial avenues have been fully explored, including raising further capital from existing investors and discussing arrangements with financial stakeholders. The Government has announced a package of measures, including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, which help firms to retain employees. This Scheme will allow businesses to put employees on temporary leave, with the Government paying cash grants of 80% of their wages up to a cap of £2,500 per month, providing the business keeps the person employed. The Department for Transport are planning to consult to update the Government’s position on aviation and climate change. It is critical that we consider how the aviation sector can play its part in delivering our net zero ambitions.

Digital Technology: Skilled Workers

Julie Elliott: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the covid-19 outbreak and the increased reliance on online services during that outbreak, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on the adequacy of Government funding for digital skills.

Steve Barclay: HMT and DCMS ministers meet frequently to cover a range of issues as part of the normal process of policy development and delivery. The government recognises that new measures taken to protect against Covid-19 mean there will be an increased reliance on digital services. This is why the government is working with FutureDotNow, a coalition of companies and civil society organisations to improve digital skills and support remote working. The government has also announced that vulnerable and disadvantaged children across England are to receive laptops, tablets and 4G routers to make remote education accessible.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Internet: Safety

Kate Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals on online harms in respect of (a) people working from home and (b) children being educated at home during the covid-19 outbreak.

Caroline Dinenage: The government is committed to making the UK the safest place to be online. The next step for our online harms proposals is to publish the full government response, which we will do later this year. We will follow that with legislation, once Parliamentary time allows. We recognise that the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has impacted everyone’s daily lives and it is likely that more people will be spending more time online. The government has published new guidance which outlines steps that people can take to stay connected and safe online during this time. The guidance also provides more detailed information for parents and carers to manage children’s safety online.

Seasonal Workers: Coronavirus

Selaine Saxby: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to help people that are employed on regular seasonal contracts in the (a) tourism industry and (b) Royal National Lifeboat Institution during the covid-19 outbreak.

Nigel Huddleston: The Chancellor has set out unprecedented support for workers - including seasonal workers across the tourism industry - to protect them against the current economic emergency. This includes the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme. After consultation with businesses, we have changed the cut-off date for employees to be employed and paid from 28 February to 19 March (the day before the Job Retention Scheme was announced). This means that over 200,000 more people will benefit. This change expands the scheme to cover more workers, whilst keeping the fraud risks under control.

Tourism: Coronavirus

Selaine Saxby: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he plans to take to support the tourism industry to rebuild following the covid-19 outbreak.

Nigel Huddleston: The Government is committed to helping the tourism industry through this crisis and beyond. We will continue to engage with stakeholders to assess how we can most effectively support the sector during the recovery period. We have announced unprecedented support for business and workers to protect them against the current economic emergency. This includes employee support, business rates relief and grants for eligible hospitality and leisure businesses, plus £330bn worth of government backed and guaranteed loans. The Chancellor also announced a Bounce Back loan scheme to help small businesses access loans of up to £50,000, with a 100% government-backed guarantee for lenders. Our immediate national priority is containing the spread of the virus. As soon as it is safe to do so, we will be encouraging people to book holidays and support tourism companies once again.

Digital Technology and Internet

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the level of digital skills by age group; and what estimate he has made of the number of people able to access an internet connection by age group.

Caroline Dinenage: The Government understands the importance of digital skills and the ability to access the internet in building a world-leading economy that works for everyone. We work with the Lloyds Consumer Digital Index and Ofcom survey data, which provide estimates of the proportion of people by age group that have all the essential digital skills for life, and their internet connection take-up. In addition, DCMS funded the 2019 Oxford Internet Survey (OxIS), a large scale survey of internet users, non-users and ex-users, to provide further insights into internet and ICT access and use, attitudes to technology and supporting demographic and geographic information. This highlighted that:Internet use has expanded in all age groups, although the increase is small over the past 6 years.Almost everyone is online up to about the age of 50. After 50 there is a sharp decline in Internet use of about 2 percentage points per year.Table 1: Essential Digital Skills for Life by Age Group Age15-2425-3435-4445-5455-6465+Proportion within age group with Essential Digital Skills for life, 201994%93%89%85%72%45%  Source: Lloyds Bank UK Consumer Digital Index 2019 (https://www.lloydsbank.com/banking-with-us/whats-happening/consumer-digital-index.html)Table 2: Internet Connection Take up by Age Group  16+16-2425-3435-4445-5455-6465-7475+4G mobile70%91%91%86%80%60%38%17%Any internet connection at home87%95%96%94%94%86%78%52%Broadband connection at home82%86%88%89%89%81%75%49% Source: Ofcom Communications Market Report 2019: Market in context - device and service take up -Telecoms (https://www.ofcom.org.uk/research-and-data/multi-sector-research/cmr/interactive-data)

Social Enterprises: Coronavirus

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions his Department has had with representatives of the social enterprise sector on the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on their businesses.

Mr John Whittingdale: Ministers and officials are engaging constantly with representatives across the social enterprise sector to ensure a complete understanding of the unique challenges being faced by social enterprises as a result of Covid-19. We have been using, and continue to use, these ongoing insights and data to shape government support for social enterprises during this time of financial difficulty. By engaging with key membership bodies, such as Social Enterprise UK (SEUK), we will be monitoring the effectiveness of support measures in the coming weeks and months.

Newspaper Press: Coronavirus

Ruth Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what support is available to small publishers producing freesheet newspapers during the covid-19 outbreak.

Mr John Whittingdale: The Government recognises the vital role played by media organisations, including small publishers of free newspapers, through their provision of independent, trusted information. During this pandemic, the availability of reliable news content is all the more important. The Government is committed to supporting the newspaper industry and has ensured that key sector staff, such as field engineers and reporters, have been awarded key worker status. We have also sought to address potential distribution issues, issuing guidance to local authorities on the importance of newspaper delivery, for example. We understand that newspapers are facing acute financial pressures due to the steep drop in advertising revenues in particular. The government is maximising advertising opportunities for the sector in the challenging economic climate by implementing a significant public information campaign across the local and national press. This has allowed us to provide up-to-date information about our Covid-19 response through reliable channels while also seeking to help offset financial disruptions felt across the sector. In parallel, we have taken steps to find an urgent solution to ensure that the use of ‘keyword blocklisting’ technology is not inadvertently damaging news publishers’ online advertising revenues for COVID-19 related stories. DCMS has been in dialogue with the relevant technology companies, and many major UK brands, to tackle this issue and ensure that relevant policies and systems are not penalising publishers for producing much needed coronavirus content. Other financial measures are also available for freesheet publishers as part of our unprecedented package of support. These include the Business Interruption Loan, Job Retention Scheme, VAT and tax deferrals, and coverage of statutory sick pay costs. The Government is clear that providing the public with reliable information on the current crisis is a priority and that newspapers provide one of the vehicles for achieving this. We will continue to review our response policies and engage actively with the sector throughout this challenging period.